


Kokoro no Yami

by EetTheChildren



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, Yu-Gi-Oh Season 0
Genre: F/M, Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-27
Updated: 2015-03-27
Packaged: 2018-01-26 18:36:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 34,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1698482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EetTheChildren/pseuds/EetTheChildren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Are you afraid?" He whispered, gently patting down her onyx hair. Bright red eyes bore into her soul, staring at her beating heart in an attempt to understand her. He was darkness. He could see right through her. He could manipulate her. He could see her every lie before they left her lips. He knew it was an unneeded question, then. Still, she breathes deep and stares him in the eyes, her lips trembling. "No." She whispers. "And you already know that."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. .Introduction.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! Today, I was re-watching Yu-Gi-Oh (The original series- aka Season 0 as many know it) and I decided to do a story with it.
> 
> Pairing will be Yami Yugi and Kagome and Sango and Yugi. Voting can be held for others, though if you'd like.
> 
> For those of you that have yet to watch "Season 0," it is 27 episodes of complete awesomeness with a bad ass Yami. I recommend watching it if you haven't. It's only subbed though.
> 
> Anyway, let's get this along.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh nor Inuyasha. I make no profit off of this whatsoever, nor do I intend to. I merely do this for the fun of writing. Both series belong to their rightful owners.  
> \-----

Darkness.

To many, it is the very essence of evil. Chaos. Destruction. Death. Pain. Loneliness. Abandonment. Sorrow.

To others, it is peaceful. Relaxing. Silent. Caressing. Soothing. Welcoming. Loving. Comforting.

You see, there are two types of darkness.

The kind you need to fear, as it is your basic instinct to do so, and the kind you must welcome with open arms because it is the only thing capable of comforting you in such a crazed state.

Kagome Taisho understood this. She understood it well. She had faced the evils of the darkness and had been forced to conquer her fears against her will.

She did not regret it.

She no longer feared that darkness, fore she had no reason to anymore.

To her, both types of darkness were welcoming, and they caressed her well.

And everyone knows: That which you don't fear cannot hurt you.

So she could stand up and accept starting over and going to Domino Public High School.

Pain was an illusion, and fear was the illusionist.

Kagome had no fear, and, therefore, no pain.


	2. .Chapter One.

It was dull, watching as the students of the school march about her as they continued on their way... Like mindless zombies just waiting for the order to do something.

Kagome scoffed and continued on her way.

Indeed, they were mindless.

She looked to her side, spotting Sango moving sluggishly behind her. She was looking around in curiosity of the place they were now in.

They had tried to forget- about them. They couldn't though. It wasn't right. They did well not to bring up the touchy topic of the past, merely going by day by day.

They had long since accepted that they had been the survivors, and the others had not. The wounds had cut deep, but, like all wounds, they healed and left behind barely noticeable scars in their wake.

Kagome sighed and reached to take Sango's hand, watching as she jumped.

"This is our class." Kagome commented. Her voice never rose above a whisper. Sango heard it with no issue.

"Do you regret it yet, Kagome-chan?" Sango asked. Her tone was imploring and sought for an answer. Kagome merely shook her head.

"Why regret what you cannot change?"

Her response was quiet and held a hard edge to it.

"Lets go, then." Sango replied and led the way into the room, briskly knocking on the door before shoving it open to allow them the space to enter as a pair.

Sango's abrupt intrusion showed to thoroughly shock the instructor, as her expression clearly portrayed. As the sudden silence spread throughout the room, a warm blush colored Sango's cheeks.

"A-Ano..." She trailed off, tugging Kagome to her side. "We're the transfers... From Tokyo."

It took a minute for the teacher to register what the taller female had said. With a surprised gasp, she went to introducing them.

"Okay, Minna-san," She began after collecting her thoughts, "I forgot to mention that we were receiving two transfers from Tokyo today." She tugged the two girls up. "This is Taisho Sango-san, and this is Taisho Kagome-san. Please make them fell welcome."

A wild murmur spread throughout the crowd of sitting students.

"The Sango and Kagome Taisho?" One girl whispered. "No way!"

"They're even prettier in person." One male sighed dreamily.

"Just look at their eyes and hair!" Another girl squealed in excitement. "They're so beautiful!"

Sango sent Kagome a scolding glare as she scoffed at their behavior.

'Morons.' Kagome hissed in her head before plastering a large smile for Sango's benefit.

"Ohayo!" Sango waved happily before motioning to the shorter girl beside her. "This is Kagome and I'm Sango. We're twins and we enjoy being social. Feel free to talk to us, if you'd like."

Kagome sent her a pointed look before sighing. "Ditto." She grumbled under her breath.

"Ah, Kagome-san, please sit beside Moto Yugi-san, and Sango-san, please take a seat behind Honda Hirito-san."

Kagome looked at the guy she was told to sit up. He had been staring in rapt interest the moment Sango had barged into the room.

Wide purple eyes, and a cheerful face.

This boy was the complete picture of utter innocence.

He was adorable.

Kagome headed towards her seat, slinking down in a quiet motion. She could still feel Yugi's gaze on her, lingering on her for a few moments before turning back to the class.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The bell signalling break rang, snapping several people from their dazes. The all jumped up and rushed for the chance to get out of the room.

"Hey, man, you coming?" One guy shouted out over the noise.

"Nah, I'm going to wait for the girls." Another responds. "You go on ahead!"

Kagome picked her head up at hearing them shout right above her head. Many thought she had been asleep, but she had stayed awake.

"Yugi, why don't you come play basketball with us today?" One guy holding a orange ball asked out loud. "Don't you ever get tired of playing by yourself."

Kagome looked towards Yugi, awaiting his response. The pyramid of playing cards he had been building tumbled down onto his desk.

"I'll pass." Yugi shrugged it off. "Even if I did go play, the team I'm on would no doubly lose."

Kagome frowned as she watched him pick his cards up in an attempt to rebuild his previous tower. She glanced towards the other guy, watching as he rubbed the back of his head.

"I guess that's true." He sighed, "Well, I'll see you later, Yugi."

After the man with the basketball, Kagome stood and began to walk over to where Sango was talking in the hall to the man she sat behind. The sudden action caused Yugi to jump and his tower to collapse again.

A single card fell to land on her black shoe. She knelt to pick it up and inspected it.

It was the Ace of Diamonds.

She turned to look at him briefly before slinking down in the desk in front of him, sliding the card across the table to him.

"Do you always sit alone when break happens?" She asked, balancing her chin on the back of her palm. He nodded and she sighed. "It must get pretty boring, or are you just a loner altogether?"

Yugi quickly shook his head. "I would really enjoy being able to play a game with somebody. I even bring all sorts of games to school everyday." He admitted before looking at the scattered cards. "It's just..." Yugi trailed off at feeling her blue eyes stay glued to him. A bright blush colored his face.

"Everyone else plays sports, which you don't favor?" Kagome implored after his sudden silence, watching as he nodded.

"I'm just not any good at them."

Kagome nodded, raising her eyebrow at watching him suddenly dive into his school bag. She went about, picking up the cards, being sure to place them in order.

"I don't enjoy athletic games, either." Kagome whispered and handed the cards to him, watching as his wide eyes looked back at her. "They're too competitive."

Kagome saw him place a golden box on his desk and she cocked her head to the side.

"What's that?"

Yugi opened his mouth, about to answer before the golden box was suddenly snatched up. Kagome looked up to glare at a blonde haired man.

"What the hell is this?" He asked, looking at the box in confusion.

"Jonouchi-kun!" Yugi shouted and rushed up, trying to reach the box only to have the blonde boy hold it up out of his reach. "Give it back to me!"

Kagome narrowed her eyes as "Jonouchi-kun" tossed it in the air, jumping over a desk to grab the box back in his hand.

"You're always going on about how precious this box is to you. You know, Yugi, the way you're acting won't do. I'll teach you how to be a man."

Kagome watched in boredom as she went on ignored by the blonde man.

"You want the box back," Jonouchi nodded towards Yugi, watching as he nodded. "The fight me for it."

"But I hate fighting and violence!" Yugi shouted and Jonouchi covered his ears.

"You don't have any guts, but you sure have a loud voice." Jonouchi grumbled, jumping when the box was snatched out of his hands by Kagome.

"If this box is his, what gives you any right to even touch it, jerk?" She growled and folded her arms. She took a step forward and he took two back. "Knock it off!"

"Keh." Jonouchi scowled, "You're just another one of those business men's daughters that gets whatever she wants. Spoiled brat."

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "Well, this 'Spoiled brat' is gonna kick your blonde ass if you don't step back." When he didn't answer, she scoffed in entertainment. "What? Are you scared now?"

He glared at her, her mocking tone showing her confidence.

"You could always hit me, Jonouchi. Was that your name?" Kagome continued, inspecting her nails after giving the box back to Yugi. "I can't assure you'll accomplish anything by it, but you can sure as hell try."

Before he could respond, another voice broke through the tense silence.

"Knock it off, Jonouchi."

Kagome looked to stop the boy Sango sat behind.

"Or what?" Jonouchi edged on, "Honda, school garbage man and rejected class president for the first year."

His comment showed to get Honda riled up.

"I am not a janitor." He grumbled, "I am an honorary beautification member!"

"Like it makes a difference!"

"Anyway, as a beautification member, it is my responsibility to keep everything nice and clean. That means no fighting. We can't have Taisho-san beating you up in the school classroom. Think of the blood."

Before Jonouchi could respond Kagome snorted. "Don't even say you could beat me, Blondie. "

Kagome and Yugi watched, Sango walking to stand between them, as Jonouchi and Honda argued. Eventually, they went out in the hall and vanished from sight.

"Ugh." Kagome growled, "What a dick." It was obvious she was speaking about Jonouchi. She turned to look at Yugi, and pointed towards the box. "So what's in it?"

"Jonouchi-kun isn't that bad." Yugi tried to defend him before hurriedly sitting back down, Kagome and Sango following suit. He opened the box and moved the lid so the two girls could see. Confused, Kagome reached in to pull out a gold shape. Soon removing two more.

"What is it?" Sango asked, looking in amazement at the box, no pieces being similar in the slightest.

"It's a puzzle!" Yugi smiled, "Legend says that when it's put together, your wish will come true!"

Kagome nodded and smiled lightly. "Neat." She put the pieces back in the box, gasping slightly when a dark energy singed her skin slightly, leaving a light red mark. She quickly snatched her hand back and folded them together in her lap. "So do you know what you're going to wish for yet?"

Yugi nodded.

"Well, what is it?" Sango asked, leaning forwards in curiosity. Yugi blushed and shook his head.

"It's a secret."

Sango pouted. "No fair." She was silent for a moment before jumping up. "When you complete it and your wish comes true, you need to tell us, then."

Yugi thought this over carefully before nodding.

"Sure!"


	3. .Chapter Two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The third update. If anyone is wondering, I'm going based on the episodes(maybe with a little of the manga in here, too.) But that doesn't mean it's going to be exact~
> 
> Hope you enjoy the update~

The school day was winding down, ever so slowly at that. Kagome glanced at Yugi briefly, watching as he continued to try at the puzzle. She narrowed her eyes.

That puzzle, Yugi had called it the Sennen Puzzle, wasn't normal.

Each time he would take a piece out, a non visible tendril of dark energy would try to latch onto his soul, only to fail and brush somewhat affectionately against her own. It meant no harm to Yugi, nor anyone in the room at all. Still, she was curious, and wanted to know more about it.

She huffed and looked towards Jonouchi and Honda. They both looked a bit shaken. She snorted. Whatever happened served Jonouchi right. She did, however, hope Honda was well. He didn't seem like such a bad guy. He was just headstrong at what he did.

Really headstrong.

Her eyes zoned in on Yugi's face. If she remembered properly, he had said that the puzzle had been found in the Valley of Kings in Egypt, in an ancient Pharaoh's tomb. And that his grandfather had given him the puzzle years ago.

All that told her was that it was a really dark children's toy.

And she had the feeling it went deeper, considering that the dark energy was trying to, once again, nuzzle up against her like a puppy would to it's owner. She wished that she could call it annoying enough to zap it into stopping, but she couldn't bring herself to do so.

The school bell rang, signalling that the day had ended and Kagome took the chance to slam her hand onto Yugi's desk. He jumped and looked at her in confusion.

As Sango came to stand by them, she nodded towards him.

"That puzzle is really interesting." She began nonchalantly and helped him put the pieces in the box, biting back the hiss as the dark energy thrummed happily under her fingers. "You said your grandfather gave it to you, right?"

Yugi nodded.

"So you think he knows more about it?" Kagome asked, allowing her genuine curiosity to flood her voice.

"Probably." He tapped his chin, "Jii-chan must know more about it than I do."

She nibbled her bottom lip, thinking carefully to herself. A second passed and she stood back at her full height. She wasn't much taller than Yugi, only two or three inches taller. "Do you think I could walk to your house and ask him about it?"

"Why are you so curious, Kagome-chan?" Yugi asked.

"Kagome-chan really loves history and relics and the like." Sango answered for her. "After all, history is one of the only subjects she really excels at the best."

Yugi nodded. "I guess that makes sense."

Kagome smiled at Yugi, watching as his face lit up. "And I assure you, it wouldn't take long."

Yugi nodded and began to lead the way, the two girls following with a soft chatter. "Let's go!"  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
As they exited the building, a large man called Yugi over to him. Kagome narrowed her eyes and followed with Sango in tow. She stopped just far enough to where she could hear them without being in the way.

"Aren't you being bullied by some people in your class?" He began, and Yugi held his hands up.

"N-No! Of course not!"

"Just wait." He commented, silencing Yugi. "It is because you are such a nice person that you answer in such a manner. I have done research and come to this conclusion."

Kagome rose an eyebrow, watching as Yugi gave him a strange look.

"Don't worry, you can rest easy, Yugi." He assured, "From this day forward, I, Ushyou, will take the responsibility of being your body guard."

"But I really don't have that kind of trouble!" Yugi blurted out, jumping as Kagome walked up to snatch him by his arm, Sango doing the same with his other.

"If you'd excuse us," Kagome began, "We were trying to leave school."

Ushyou backed down and nodded towards the trio as they turned and walked away.

"Who was that?" Kagome questioned once they got far enough out of hearing range. "He's a bit creepy, is he not?"

Yugi nodded as they came to a stop outside of the game shop. "I'm home!" He called out as he led the way inside, jumping when he spotted a girl wearing the school's uniform.

"Oh, Anzu-chan!" Yugi smiled as she waved towards them, "What are you doing here?"

"It's been a while since I've been over to hang out." She responded before nodding in Kagome and Sango's direction. "Ohayo you two."

Kagome and Sango had met Anzu at school.

She was a nice girl that Kagome didn't mind associating herself with.

An older man came out of a storage closet at the sound of Yugi's shout.

"You're home later than usual, Yugi." He commented lightly before glancing to Anzu, "And it's been a while since I've seen you last, Anzu-chan. You sure have gotten big."

Kagome took her chance to introduce herself once he finished speaking.

"Ohayo sir." She smiled and bowed politely, motioning for Sango to follow suit. "My name is Taisho Kagome and this is my sister Taisho Sango. It's wonderful to meet you."

He nodded and bowed back. "O-ho! What pretty young ladies."

Kagome blushed modestly before shaking her head. "I actually have a small question I'd like to ask you."

He smiled and nodded again. "Go ahead, dear."

"You see, today Yugi showed me the Sennen Puzzle you gave him." Kagome began with a motion in his direction. "I was just wondering if you could tell me anything else you know about it. You see, I have a huge interest in history."

He turned to look towards Yugi. "You still haven't given up on that thing yet?"

"Who's giving up?" Yugi responded stubbornly.

"That puzzle is for an extremely intellectual person to solve. There is no way you could solve it." He sighed dramatically before looking towards Kagome, "Plus there are many stories that surround that puzzle."

Kagome perked up. "What are they?"

"The Sennen Puzzle was found by an archaeological team taught by Dr. Stein. In the tombs with symbols of an Iris. Soon after obtaining the puzzle, the members of the expedition all began to mysteriously die. And the last one to die named it before dying..." He came to a pause before narrowing his eyes dramatically. "The Shadow Game."

Anzu took a step back, nervously turning to Yugi. "Yugi-kun, this puzzle seems a bit dangerous to me..."

Yugi ignored her and took the puzzle from his school bag. "I wonder what a Shadow Game is... I'm interested."

Yugi's grandfather kneel'd to look at the carvings on the gold box.

"Look," He commented quickly, "This symbol engraved on the box." They all looked a bit closer. "The one who wields me will have the power of the Wisdom of the Darkness. That is it's meaning."

"So that means..." Yugi trailed off, thinking silently to himself before blurting out, "That's right! Wishes will be fulfilled! I can't wait!"

Sango, Kagome, and Anzu looked at him in disbelief.

"On a second thought, give it back!" Yugi's grandfather cried out, chasing after him.

"No way!" Yugi responded, "Now I definitely need to finish it!"  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Kagome couldn't sleep. Her mind wouldn't rest properly and it was driving her crazy. It didn't make any sense- the puzzle.

She, like Yugi, was curious in what a Shadow Game was.

Kagome huffed and sat up. She wasn't going to get any sleep if she kept thinking about it.

She looked at the clock on her wall and rubbed the back of her neck. It was only eight thirty.

"Might as well take a walk and try to tire myself out." She grumbled as she dressed in a simple black dress with white shoes.

.

.

.

She walked for a good while, having no real destination, before she felt an odd sensation over come her. She stumbled a bit and collapsed onto her knees, panting hard.

The overwhelming feeling of darkness crept around her and she looked at where she was.

She was only about half a mile from the school. Standing up, she took off in a fast sprint towards the school grounds, where the source of the darkness was coming from. Finally coming about it, she came across a horrifying sight.

"Oi!" She shouted and rushed towards two unconscious guys laying on the ground. They were Jonouchi and Honda. She frowned at the bruises covering them.

She pulled Jonouchi halfway into her lap, placing her palm to his forehead, as a pink glow enveloped them. It removed the pain he was in, but also further induced him into a sleeping state. She let go of Jonouchi before doing the same to Honda.

After doing so, she stood back up and continued walking towards where she heard two people speaking. Kagome pressed herself against the brick wall, spotting Ushyou and what looked to be Yugi.

She shook her head, quickly correcting her at hearing the deeper voice. He wasn't Yugi.

Kagome gasped, watching as the ground fell out from under them. Ushyou fell, the other didn't. She shook her head, coming from her hiding spot by taking slow and quiet steps as to not alert the Yugi look alike. Either he didn't notice her, or he didn't care she was there.

"Yo, Ushyou-san." He began with a smirk. "What you want is up here."

Kagome was relieved to hear a shout in return.

"What?" Ushyou responded, "You mean the money? So you brought it, eh?" He laughed lightly. "You should've just said. Having me put you in that condition wasn't needed! So come on and hand it over quickly!"

"Just giving it to you so easily would be too boring." The dark aura surrounding him flared up once more, and Kagome dubbed him as 'Yami' for now until she found out who he really was.

"What was that?!" Ushyou shouted in anger.

"How about playing a quick game with me, ne?" Yami continued, not caring a bit at Ushyou's anger.

"A game?"

"It's not going to be a normal game." Yami stated with a dark smirk and pulled out a deck of cards from his pocket. "It's a Shadow Game."

Ushyou thought it over for a second. "Sounds interesting." He nodded, "Alright. I've never lost a game before, no matter what it was! I'll take you down!"

Yami smirked. "That's just like Ushyou-san... Well, with that..." He jumped and Kagome rushed towards the edge, watching as a rope unraveled. A trail of red backed cards stayed between the two males. "Let's play, then."

Once becoming level with Ushyou, Yami looked at him.

"The rules are simple." He began. "We take turns drawing cards. You can only climb up the number indicated on the card, while the other person gets lowered the same amount. The first one to make it back to the top will be the one to get the prize."

"Okay, I got it." Ushyou nodded. "I'll go first."

He picked a random card and flashed it towards Yami with a cocky smirk. "10 of Diamonds. How do you like that, Yugi?"

The dark smirk never left his face as Yami picked a card. "I got a Jack."

Ushyou growled and picked another card. "2 of Spades!"

"Queen of Spades."

He narrowed his eyes. "3 of Diamonds!"

"9 of Hearts." Yami gave a chilling smirk.

"6 of Clubs!"

"Jack of Spades."

Kagome looked closely over the edge. Ushyou was running out of cards and was close towards the bottom. She frowned lightly. What would happen when he lost? She was pulled from her thoughts when Yami began to talk.

"What's wrong, Ushyou-san?" He asked in confusion, "Nothing left in you? I only have one more step and then I win."

"Shut up!" He growled. "If I get the right card this draw then the tables will be turned!" Ushyou reached out to pick a card. His face fell at the card. "A-A Joker."

"Isn't it a shame, Ushyou-san?" Yami shook his head. "Joker is a miss. My turn."

"Hold up!" Ushyou shouted in anger. "You planned this from the start, didn't you?"

Yami ignored him and took the card at the very top, flipping it over to show him.

"Ace of Diamonds. I win."

"I won't forgive you, you little punk!" Ushyou shouted and began to climb up the side of the wall.

"Are you breaking the rules?" Yami asked in a disappointed tone. "Doing so will result in very bad consequences."

Ushyou threw a punch in his direction and Yami quickly moved out of the way.

"I knew it." He shook his head. "You couldn't obey the rules, Ushyou-san."

"Take this!" Ushyou shouted and snatched the rope that had been holding them up, allowing it to drop with Yami still tied to it. He began to laugh before scrambling over the side to rush towards his prize.

Kagome frowned, furrowing her brow.

This wasn't over.

She could see a golden glow from a bit down just as Ushyou reached the prize.

Kagome nearly laughed.

It was a green back deck of cards.

The edge Ushyou was standing on collapsed and he began to fall down the side. He shouted as he fell, passing by Yami as he did so.

Kagome caught sight of the glowing puzzle he had jammed into the side of the cliff.

"A shadow games reveals a person's true nature." Yami shook his head, "You are lost in the darkness of your own desires."

Kagome watched as he fell, heading towards the stream of water at the base of the ground.

Just when she thought it was over, three giant pink worms came out of the water, the one in the middle swallowing Ushyou.

Her mouth fell open, ignoring Yami as he finally noticed her.

"Well," She commented dryly. "That definitely didn't end the way I thought it would." She felt a hand tangle itself in her wild hair and she jumped. She turned to look into curious red eyes.

She frowned.

"Yami no Yugi." A hiss fell from her lips. "What did you do to him?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "He's alive. He's just in a stage of turmoil brought on by his true self."

Kagome nodded. As long as he wasn't dead. That wouldn't go over well with the police.

"You're the dark that was sealed in the Sennen Puzzle?" She questioned softly. He gave a small nod and she cocked her head to the side. "Aside for what just happened, you don't seem that dark..." She yelped in shock when he took a step towards her, closing all the space. Once more, the dark energy was rubbing against her with gentle caresses.

This Yugi was taller than her, if only by an inch or two. It was enough for her to have to look up slightly to be able to look him in the eye.

"Who are you?" He asked, a hard edge coming into his voice. The light aura surrounding him coaxed him closer towards her.

"Taisho Kagome." Kagome nodded, "And I think it's time I leave."

His hand tightened around her wrist.

Kagome sighed, seeing that his grip wouldn't relent, and placed her free palm over his eyes. A second later, Yugi took a tumble to the ground, rubbing his eyes before looking at her.

"K-Kagome-chan?" He asked, "What are you doing here?"

"You called and asked me to come help you with Jonouchi and Honda." She lied. "I didn't find you so I came looking, and you were out cold. Come on, we need to wake them up."

Yugi jolted up immediately, rushing towards where the two unconscious males.

Kagome sighed.

Why did she get this feeling that she would be dealing with the Yami located in the puzzle a lot more in the near future.

She shook it off.

There was no sense in worrying about it now, anyway.


	4. .Chapter Three.

"Please?" Anzu begged, "It's an opening for a job. You did say you were bored, and it would be fun to work with a school friend."

Kagome sent her a skeptical look. "Anzu-chan, we aren't even supposed to have jobs. This could get both you and me in trouble." As requested previously, Kagome kept her tone nearly silent as the two talked in the vacant hall.

"I know, but I need to raise the money." Once more she began to plead, clapping her hands together and bending her knees. "And it'll be no fun working alone. What's the worst that could happen?"

Kagome pursed her lips.

Well, a lot. The building could implode for all she knew.

Of course, she didn't say that to Anzu.

She sighed, brushing her bangs back when she saw Yugi and Jonouchi rushing towards them with Miho, Sango, and Honda.

"Alright." Kagome finally relented, much to Anzu's pleasure. "I'll do it, but only for a few days. If I enjoy it, maybe I'll stay."

"Ah~" Anzu hugged her tightly, "Thanks so much!"

Kagome shrugged her shoulders as the group of five came to a halt before them.

"Oi," Jonouchi began, "What were you two talking about all hushed up?"

Anzu huffed and turned on her heel. "I don't see how that's any concern of yours. I was only asking her for a favor."

"What was the favor?" Yugi asked.

"It's private so I don't need you all knowing!" She grumbled under her breath and Jonouchi went on to ignore her, sliding up to Kagome and draping his arm lightly over her shoulder.

Kagome gave him a pointed glare. "Get your arm off of me, Blondie. I'm not going to spill what Anzu asked of me. It's between her and myself."

After Yugi and Jonouchi had become friends, Kagome decided to give it a try and hang out with him. She still didn't favor him, not right at the moment, but he was better than most.

He was, thankfully, one of the few guys that didn't try to hit on Sango and herself.

Of course, she still used her nickname for him.

He gave a small glare before taking a few steps away from her. "I wasn't going to ask." He huffed, "I was only going to see if you guys wanted to get a bite to eat on our way home."

Kagome shook her head. "I wish I could, but I have that favor for Anzu. Perhaps some other time, hm?"

Yugi nodded. "Definitely."

"So where are you going?" Kagome asked.

"This place called Burger World." Sango answered with a smile. "Are you sure you can't go?"

Kagome's face went blank, and Anzu's back stiffened.

"Don't go there!" Anzu snapped.

"W-Why?" Sango took a step back behind Jonouchi and Yugi at the girl's sudden outburst.

"Because just don't! I heard that place is awful!" Anzu lashed out in a quickly spoken rant. "There is a rumor that the place is very badly ran. You'd think that they would be careful on their grand opening, but I've known people who have gotten sick after eating there! I really suggest you don't go. Even the teacher recommends not going! If you value your health, you'll take my advice!"

After ending that, she snatched Kagome by the wrist and tugged her out of the room.

"R-right." Yugi nodded, "I'll remember what you said."

Anzu stopped at the door and turned to flash the group a smile, urging Kagome to do the same. "I'll see you guys later." Anzu shut the door behind them, "Let's go, Kagome-chan."

"... O-Okay."

Once the duo had left, Jonouchi peeked out in the hall.

"Anzu sure has been acting strangely lately, huh?" He asked.

"She has?" Sango folded her arms. "She probably is just in a hurry."

Jonouchi didn't buy it and looked towards Yugi.

"Don't you agree, Yugi?"

"She has been acting strange, lately." He nodded, "She hasn't walked home with us in quite a while."

"Could it be?" Jonouchi began in a hushed whisper, "That Anzu has been working the streets being somebody's "hot company" or something?"

Sango's face fell. "And here I thought you were smarter than this."

"You should be worried, Sango." Jonouchi poked her cheek, "Kagome is doing a favor for Anzu. What if she get's involved in all this?"

She sent him a skeptical look before rolling her eyes.

"Does Anzu OR Kagome seem like girls that would whore our their bodies for cash money?"

Honda took the chance to jump in after Sango said that. "Think about what you just said, Jonouchi. Neither of them are that type of girl. They have too much pride."

"That's right!" Yugi finally found his voice, "They would never do that!"

"Oh," Jonouchi laughed, "Now you're getting all serious about it! You guys are too funny."

After a while, Sango turned to look at Miho, giving her a confused look.

"Um, Miho-chan?" She asked, "Are you alright?"

"Of course!"  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The group had listened to Anzu's brash warning of Burger World, if only for a few days.

"I say we go." Sango shrugged, "I really want a good burger."

Jonouchi nodded before cheering, "We go today, then, no matter what Anzu has to say about that place. I'll take my chances!"

"Miho wants to go, too!" Miho clapped her hands together, jumping when Kagome snatched her by the wrist.

"Miho." Anzu glared for a bit and Miho shook her head.

"I'm sorry," Miho gave a small smile, "But I forgot. I can't today."

"We'll see you guys later." Kagome saluted them with a wave and followed Anzu and Miho from the room. "We've been so busy the past few days that we haven't been able to hang out with you guys, but that doesn't mean we can't keep our friendship alive. We'll hang out later."

Once they were gone, Jonouchi shook his head in disappointment.

"Looks like this "hot company" idea has even got Miho hooked. This is bad. If they get along too well who knows what will happen."

Honda got riled up in an instant. "Miho-chan has no reason to do something like that! Take it back, before I break your nose!"

"That's right!" Yugi sighed, "Jonouchi-kun, that was rude!"

"You guys are so naive." Jonouchi huffed, "Don't you know? Today I saw Anzu buy a boxed lunch... and do you know what kind it was? It was Sutamiya! The one that no one ever gets because it costs too much. Where's all the money coming from, huh?"

"You are aware that you are basing the idea that they are prostitutes on the fact that Anzu got an expensive lunch, right?" Sango gave him a pointed look. "There is no way than any of them are working the streets. As it is, Kagome-chan always comes home before nine on a school night, and ten on a weekend."

Jonouchi huffed, "Believe what you will, then."  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
It had been a complete week since the thought of putting off Burger World had been started, and now even Honda was rejecting the idea of going.

He, instead, left with the three girls, leaving behind Yugi, Jonouchi, and Sango.

"Hey, you don't suppose Honda-kun decided to get in on this "hot company," do you?"

"Probably." Jonouchi responded. "Him and a rich lady. I assume it would be possible."

Sango smacked him on the back of the head.

"Can't you try to think a bit more seriously," Yugi sighed, "You're jumping to conclusions about them."

"Well, then lets see what they really are doing."

Sango and Yugi looked at each other as Jonouchi took off to quietly stalk them.

"Are we really going to do this?" Sango asked, watching as Yugi sighed and covered his forehead.

"I guess so."

Sango sighed and grasped Yugi's hand, ignoring the blush that colored his cheeks.

"Lets go, then."  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The trio followed the four, having to hide on multiple occasions.

"I warned you two," Sango huffed, coming out from behind a business sigh, "It's like Kagome-chan has eyes in the back of her head."

"Tch," Jonouchi sighed, "no kidding."

They remained silent until they reached the destination of the four. Once reaching the door, their mouths fell open in shock.

"Welcome to Burger World!" Kagome smiled brightly, "Where...-!"

Her face turned bright red as she looked at the puzzled faces of her friends.

On cue, the four they had been following quickly turned around and bowed their heads.

"Y...You." Jonouchi shook his head. "What the hell are you guys doing here?"

They didn't answer and Jonouchi got irritated.

"Answer me!"

"What does it look like?" Honda turned around quickly, "We're working!"

"Don't you guys know that it's prohibited to work in a place like this after school hours?" Jonouchi replied. "And you're the one who is always going on about following the rules and such."

"Shut up, Jonouchi." Honda huffed, "I was... I was just worried. It's only a place like this." A relieved sigh fell from his lips.

"And I was the one who asked if he could stay!" Miho cut in, but before another word could be spoken, a male walked up behind Kagome.

"Now, aren't you three customers?" He asked, "Why don't you go ahead and sit down?"

After the three sat down, Yugi sent Jonouchi a worried look.

"I think they are a little embarrassed that we followed them here. And Anzu looks a little mad..."

"Keh, let them be." Jonouchi glared. "They hid something so simple a secret from us and ran.

Sango rolled her eyes, "It's not a big deal."

It became silent for a few minutes before Kagome walked over towards them and placed their food on their table, handing them a hand-written note from Anzu.

Sango read it out loud.

"'If you tell anyone, I won't forgive you.'"

Kagome shrugged, "You already found out, so there's nothing I can do about it. I don't have anything to hide, and neither do the others. We aren't supposed to have jobs, so please keep this quiet. This place is actually kinda fun. Anzu is only working here to save up money." Kagome smiled, referring back to the note. "She wants to go to America after graduation."

"America?" The group questioned.

Kagome nodded. "But you'll have to ask her about it if your curious. It's not my business to tell."

"You've only been working because it's fun?" Sango asked after a moment.

Kagome nodded. "I hate sitting around the house for hours on end."

They shrugged as Kagome made her way back towards the kitchen. A few minutes later, their attention was drawn to a police man who began to speak to their four friends and the manager. Confused, they stood up and followed.

"What?" Miho squealed in terror, "There's an escaped convict here?"

"Yes." The police officer nodded. "He robbed a bank this morning and we chased him into the shopping vicinity. We believe we have him trapped hiding here."

"Do you have any ideas as to what he looks like?" The manager asked, "Any way to know for sure?"

The policeman held up a photograph with a man with green, spiked hair. Jonouchi and Honda looked around the corner to try and spot him.

"He's not in there." Jonouchi concluded after a moment.

"He's a master of disguise." He shook his head, "You'll never spot him if you are looking for his true face."

"Then we'll just have to search them one by one." Honda folded his arms.

"We can't do that." The officer shook his head. "We believe that he is carrying a gun."

"Does he have any distinguishing characters?" The manager asked, "Anything we can use to identify him with out alerting him?"

"Three days ago, he had a hand to hand fight with a security guard after hitting up a jewelry store. He managed to knock the security guard down, but as he tried to make a break for it, the guard hit him on the right leg with a baton. There is a chance that he may still be wounded or have a bruise."

Anzu's face lit up. "We can use those." She dashed over to a basket of toy cars that children were allowed to have. She tipped the basket over and let the cars scatter over the floor. Then she and the others went about looking for them.

They checked under each table, subtly looking at each person's right leg in doing so.

Miho stood back with Yugi, Kagome, and Sango.

"Just watching them makes my heart race." Miho covered her eyes. "Please let them be okay!"

Kagome took Sango by the arm and drug her a little ways away from the other two.

"What is it?" Sango asked.

"Be cautious." Kagome whispered. "For some reason, I feel a small part of Naraku's energy."

Sango gasped. "Like a reincarnation?"

Kagome nibbled her bottom lip before nodding. "Something like that. It's not strong, but it's here." She let her eyes roam over the crowd. "Just be on your toes in case it's needed. You still carry around your hidden blade in your sleeve, right?"

Sango nodded.

"Good."

Sango slowly made her way back to where Miho and Yugi were standing, making it back just before the others joined them again.

Kagome slid into the kitchen and pulled a knife away from the chopping block. It was better than nothing, and if this Naraku "descendant," whatever he was, had too much human blood in his veins, then her spiritual powers wouldn't do a thing to really harm him. She slid the knife into the waistband of her skirt, keeping it hidden close to her leg before making her way back towards the others.

Kagome folded her arms and leaned against the counter.

"No luck, huh?" She asked Anzu.

She shook her head. "None of them had a bruise on their leg."

The policeman walked into the center of the room before flashing his badge for all to see.

"Excuse me, everyone." He began, "But we are looking for an escaped convict. It is possible that he is hiding in this establishment. I have to ask for everyone to place their feet forward. The criminal should have a bruise on his leg where he was hit by a baton."

"Excuse me, what does this mean?" A red haired woman asked anxiously.

"Did he just say escaped convict?" An older man sipping tea opened his eyes.

"HA! This should be interesting." A younger man called out in amusement.

"There is no mistaking it, then." A writer folded his arms, "This cities police department is practically flawless. I'm sure you've been trailing him for some time now."

"No one here has a bruise on their leg, Mr. Cop." Jonouchi reported, having just checked everyone with Honda for the bruise.

"Well, there is something else." The office took out his notebook. "When he was in prison, we did learn that if he eats eggs he gets really sick."

"He's allergic to eggs?" Anzu asked before smirking slightly. "Well, if he's one of those people, we'll know soon. Our hamburger buns have plenty of eggs worked into the dough!"

It wasn't long after that that one man began to get anxious and the officer walked over to him.

"What's wrong?" He asked, "You don't look so well."

As the man started to make a break for it, the officer tackled him to the ground.

"We've finally found you! You're under arrest!

"But I'm still getting sick!" He shouted. "I'm still getting sick real fast! Eggs make me weak!"

"Stupid." Anzu laughed, "It was a lie."

"What?!"

"Any genius could tell by taste that our hamburger buns are one-hundred percent flour." Kagome answered for Anzu. "It's not our fault you fell for the oldest trick in the book."

He glared at Kagome before snatching himself from the officer's arms in an attempt to tackle her. Kagome tugged Anzu out of the way and he ran into the manager of the establishment.

When the bruise on his leg was shown, the green haired man grabbed the manager by the shoulders.

"It's him! He's the criminal you're looking for! He fooled you all!" The officer snatched him back up, the manager's shirt being ripped in the process.

Revealed to all was the spider mark on his back.

Kagome gasped and pushed herself in front of everybody.

"It was the store manager you were after!"

The red haired man smirked before rushing to take the gun from the held criminal, darting back to snatch Kagome around her shoulders. He pressed the barrel of the gun to the side of her head and covered her mouth with his free hand.

"If anyone takes another step closer, this girl is a goner."

"So you're the store manager, huh?" The officer asked.

"I had my face surgically changed. I had it completely blended in with the people of this town. I worked an unseen as an ant. I still can't believe you came to this store, out of every possible one!" He looked towards the captured criminal. "With a quick glance I could tell it was you wearing a 'disguise.' So I followed you to see what you did. I waited in that alley when you broke in to steal..."

"Then that other stuff was..."

"Yes." He smirked, tugging Kagome tighter to him. "The one who robbed... Fushijima Kinyuu and that jewelry store was me! But you've finally caught me." He laughed to himself as they lowered themselves to the ground. He tied Kagome's hair ribbon around her eyes to block her vision before looking over at the people scattered on the ground.

"How gloomy." He sighed, "Well, if we go away, then so will those scared faces, too." With that, he snatched her back in his arms and tugged her along. "Come."

"Dammit." Jonouchi glared as Kagome vanished from their sight. "That bastard."

He drug Kagome towards a far away booth to were no one could see, draping an arm over her shoulder. "Whoever wants to entertain us can come now." He looked towards Yugi. "Oi! You, the weak-looking kid over there, I want you to fetch me some alcohol and a pack of smokes. Anyone else that I see move, get's this."

To show what he meant, he fired a shot at the ceiling.

He looked towards Kagome, leaning closer towards her as he began to talk again. "I've managed to leave the drink and quit smoking like a good boy, but, damn! I think this is a worthy occasion, ne, miko?" He whispered in her ear. "You can't even protect yourself now, can you?"

Kagome cringed and slid a bit further away, not liking the close proximity one of Naraku's descendant had got her into. She sat for a second before a thought struck her.

'Did he say "weak-looking kid"?' Kagome furrowed her brow, 'He couldn't mean Yugi-kun, right?'

At feeling his aura come closer, her gut lurched. The dark energy from his pendant tried to comfort her by nuzzling against her. She payed it no mind as she jumped up.

"Yugi-kun!" She shouted, "Don't come any closer, please!"

"Shut the fuck up and sit down!" Her captor punched her on the side of her temple, sending her towards the floor before snatching her back up by her hair.

"Kagome!" Yugi cried.

It wasn't a second later that the dark energy located in the puzzle came to the outside.

Kagome cursed her luck at hearing the deeper voice start to speak.

"Normally anyone who dare threaten my precious Kagome would be disposed of... but now, I'm looking for the chosen one." He set the bottle of alcohol on the table with a smirk. "Heh, it looks like I've found my next challenge."

Kagome's heart skipped a beat at hearing his soft-spoken confession.

Had anyone else heard that, or had it just been her?

"Oi, who said you could sit here?" Her captor's voice brought her out of her thinking.

Oh God, why?

Yami gave a laugh. "I just thought I come by and be your 'entertainment.' It's time to play a game."

The aura of the atmosphere felt like it did the first time she happened to see Yami, quite a few days ago. The only difference was that they were in a crowded restaurant and she was blindfolded.

"A game, huh? There isn't anything interesting going on today, and it's been a while since I've seen anything special, so why not."

'Moron.' Kagome sighed in her mind, 'Naraku's descendant is a complete moron.'

"Actually," Yami began, his smirk audible in his tone, "This isn't a normal game. It's a game of darkness. It's a game of your life."

"Sounds fun." Kagome felt her captor loosen his grip on her. "What are the rules?"

"There is only one rule. You are prohibited to use any finger other than the one you choose. Using only the finger you chose, you must try to take your opponent's life." Yami nodded towards him. "So, which finger will you use?"

He laughed, "I'm obviously going to chose this finger." Kagome couldn't see which he meant, but she had a hunch. "I only need one finger to pull the trigger, anyway."

"Okay." Yami responded, "I'll chose my right thumb, then." The sound of the alcohol being poured echoed in Kagome's ears as Yami continued to speak. "When the games starts, you will be allowed to do whatever you want. Just follow the rules. Okay, here goes: Game start."

"And with just like that, the game is over!" Her captor laughed and rose the gun, aiming it at his opponent's head.

Yami merely smirked and held up the lighter in his right hand. He flipped it open, catching his opponent's attention.

"Oi, kid do me a favor before I kill you and light my smoke."

The sound of the lighter being lit resounded close to her ear and a waft of smoke filled her nose. Kagome coughed and tilted her head away from the source.

"Watch out for the lighter." Yami warned, dropping the lighter onto the hand that was still pouring the liquor. "Try not to move your hand. That's Russian Vodka you're pouring. It's ninety percent alcohol." Yami stood up and got out of the booth. "Go ahead and shoot me, but the recoil will cause the lighter to fall." He reached over and took Kagome tightly by the hand. "Let's go, Kagome."

A few moments after Yami had tugged Kagome away, the stuck man snatched the lighter from his hand and closed it, picking the gun back up after a second.

"I knew you couldn't follow the rules." Yami glared as Kagome undid the tie around her eyes, hoping to get her vision back.

After doing so, she looked towards Yami somewhat gratefully. She saw the glowing eye on his forehead and quickly looked towards the criminal.

"The games of darkness are meant to expose the failures and criminals of humanity." His tone grew colder and his grip on Kagome's wrist tightened. "Those who break the rules will suffer. The gates of darkness have opened."

Before he could aim the gun towards either of them, bright green flames enveloped his body and Kagome shielded her eyes from the bright light against Yami's shoulder.

At the sounds of his panicked screams, everyone looked up and the officer quickly escorted him away.

Kagome looked towards Yami with a small smile.

"I hope you know I could have handled myself."

"Looks like it." He commented dryly.

She rolled her eyes in irritation before looking towards where their friends were.

Could they really not tell the difference in Yugi?

"You cheeky bastard." Kagome hissed under her breath. "Just because you can put someone in inner turmoil doesn't mean you're all high and mighty."

"You sound so grateful." He smirked. "You are mine, Kagome."

Her face lit up at his sudden proclamation. "What gives you any right to decided that?!"

"I just can, and I did." Yami folded his arms. "I'd like to see you try and stop me."

Kagome glared before a smirk formed onto her lips.

"Oh, I can." She covered his eyes with her palm and, just like their last meeting, Yugi was brought back to the surface. She took his by the hand and bounced over to where the others were waiting. "Let's go, Yugi-kun!"  
\------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, it happened. Yami "claimed" her, but she doesn't seem to joyed about it.
> 
> We might see more of Naraku's descendant later on.


	5. .Chapter Four.

She couldn't help but be on edge whenever she was around Yugi alone. She knew that it wasn't Yugi that held interest, but it was the spirit that had the ability to possess him. She didn't fear the spirit, oh, of course not, but she was cautious.

She had seen what he was capable of.

And she was interested.

Turning her attention back towards the silver haired man, Kagome scoffed in slight irritation.

"What was so important that you needed me to stay home today, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Her tone was cold, easily reserving disdain towards the stoic demon ruler. They had come to terms, yes, but they were not close. He may have been know worldwide as her and Sango's father, but it meant nothing towards the three.

Merely a means of thanks for saving Rin, and a way of him offering condolences for the deaths of Inuyasha and the rest. Her family had died in a car crash months before she even returned, dragging Sango's injured body to save her from the monsters from Naraku's "tribe."

He had erased the people's memories, forever causing them to believe they were his adopted daughters.

They took up his offer fore they had no where or nothing else to do.

They were allies. Not family.

And Kagome and Sango were just fine with that, as was Sesshoumaru.

Molten gold eyes bore into her blue ones, the cold feeling remaining mutual between the two. People assumed they were so close, but they were strangers.

Strangers that lived together.

A emotionless smirk bloomed onto his face as he leaned back and folded his arms across his chest.

"It has come to my attention that there is a herd or two of lower class demons that need to be taken care of." His eyes zoned in on her. "Miko, you will take care of them." He tossed the old, white bow he held loosely in his palm towards her.

Kagome's fist clenched tightly around the bow as she caught it. Oh, how she was getting tired of being called "Miko." Still, she looked towards the bow and her eyes softened slightly. The white painted limb had thin green vines painted to it, red and yellow roses carved elegantly into the wood. The string was a silver blue and felt cool under her finger as she lightly traced over it.

If felt odd.

Having this back in her possession.

It was old, indeed, and had been a courting gift from Inuyasha. The string itself had been made with a strand of both of their hair, fashioned by Totosai. It was unbreakable, no matter how aged it was.

Just holding it brought tears to her eyes.

"Why must you keep this, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Her whisper was broken. "You know it pains me to have to look at something such as this. Something that holds so much of him..."

Sesshoumaru didn't answer her question as he stood, turning his back to her.

"Do what I ask of you, Miko."

"... Yes, my Lord."

They stood frozen in their spots for a few moments before Sesshoumaru turned back around to face her.

"Be careful," He warned. "I don't wish to have to explain your death to the slayer."

She scoffed and shoved him from her walk way. "You won't have to. I'll be back by midnight."  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
How was she supposed to find them?

Kagome sighed, once again brushing her bangs back in her irritation. She had decided to wait until it got dark before actually searching to the demons, as to not alert the citizens of downtown Domino, but this was just getting ridiculous.

Didn't demons usually thrive in the dark?

"They must have gotten smarter over the years, then." Kagome rubbed the back of her head. "Sesshoumaru really needs to specify what he means by 'lower class' demons."

Indeed, he did. Nowadays, it appeared that lower class was the same as the past upper class. They have gotten smarter. Smarter, indeed.

Still, she went about her way, taking quiet and cautious steps through park. It was the dead of night, and she, a Miko, was in their territory.

Where was the threatening fang-bearing and growling? It was silent, and eerily so.

It didn't set well with her.

They couldn't be afraid, could they?

She quickly shook her head. There was, no doubt, more than enough to over power here if they so desired. So why weren't they.

She couldn't eve feel their energy, for God's sake!

Had Sesshoumaru been wrong?

Surely, no. He never was, and it irritated her to admit that.

Kagome came to a stop below a tree, pressing her palm to the dark trunk. She took a glance up, expecting to see red and yellow glowing eyes, but saw nothing.

Kagome closed her eyes and concentrated her powers carefully, testing the waters to see what could be causing the demon's lack of appearance. Once more, she was met with nothing.

Finally, she came to the chilling conclusion nothing was there. Nothing.

If there had been demons there before, what got rid of them?

The fine hair on her arms and the back of her neck stood on edge as an over-powering aura latched onto her still searching one. It was familiar and caused a silent scream to tumble from her lips before she quickly whirled around, pressing her back into the rough bark of the tree.

Where had it come from?

It had felt like it had been around her.

She would take no chances. Kagome quickly notched a blue-tipped arrow and prepared herself, waiting quietly for the unseen adversary to show them-self.

Just as quick as the aura intertwined itself with her own, it was gone, leaving behind Kagome to search for where it was.

It appeared again, from the opposite direction, before disappearing once more. It repeated it's actions from different directions each time.

As if it was playing with her.

Toying with her.

Testing her. Testing her strength and readiness.

Kagome stood, un-moving and prepared for battle. Trained eyes examined her surroundings, and harnessed energy snapped around her, daring her opponent to shown their face.

Minutes passed, and soon Kagome found herself facing the cool air of the night atmosphere. A frown marred her face and she deemed that her opponent had left. She loosened her grip, allowing the arrow to relax against the string and limb of her bow.

She waited for a five more minutes before placing it back into the carrier.

Kagome placed her bow back over her shoulder and settled for leaving the park.

Whatever had been there had been eradicated. She had a bigger issue to deal with than a bunch of missing lower class demons.

The creature that had eradicated them for her, for starters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another brief side note- Every time I have Yami Yugi and Kagome in the same scene, my mind instantly plays the song Whispers In The Dark by Skillet. .-. I'm serious.
> 
> I've decided to make that "their" song. xD


	6. .Chapter Five.

"Nothing?" Sango's mouth was agape as she and Kagome walked down the semi-crowded halls. "It was just vacant?"

"Mm." Kagome nodded and tapped her chin. "It felt way too creepy. It was like one of those grueling horror movies that you shouldn't watch in the middle of the night, but you do it anyway and you instantly regret it."

Sango nodded, "Do you know what got rid of them yet?"

Kagome shook her head. "No. Whatever it was, it felt familiar, but not too familiar."

"How do you reckon?"

She nibbled her bottom lip, a nervous habit she had been thought to break long ago. "I'm not sure. Its not something that I can easily put words to, you know?" Kagome sighed at Sango's insistent stare. "Whoever it was, I'm positive that I've had a run in with them at some point, but I'm not sure that it was in the feudal era."

"I didn't think you ever were aware of demons and the like until you got pulled down the well."

"I thought so too," She sighed and rubbed the back of her head. "There's no sense in worrying ourselves silly over it, though. Tonight we'll visit downtown Domino and take a look over the perimeter of the park and see if we can find any trace of whatever it was."

Sango nodded, appeased with her suggestion. "We'll see what turns up."

The two walked into their classroom and immediately hushed up about their previous conversation. After setting their stuff down by their seats, Sango and Kagome crowded around Yugi and Jonouchi with the others.

"What are you guys playing?" Sango cocked her head to the side.

Yugi greeted her first with a bright smile. "We're playing Duel Monsters."

Kagome rose an eyebrow. "Care to enlighten us on what that is?"

"Its a card battle game." Yugi began, "Look, written on the cards are attack points and defense points, along with some other things. You start fighting with cards you enter into the game according to this field." He motioned to a play mat spread out on top of his desk. It had several different terrains. "It was getting pretty popular along the third year students. "

Sango nodded and took a card that Yugi offered her so she could closely examine it.

"It sounds pretty interesting." Kagome gave a smile. Before she could add anything on, she was interrupted by Jonouchi.

"I don't have any interest in mindless games like these, so..." He rocked his chair back on it's hind legs and folded his arms behind his head.

Kagome rolled her eyes and tipped his chair further back, causing him to topple to the floor. Anzu laughed and gave her a high five.

"I was waiting for you to do that." She giggled loudly.

Sango offered the confused boy on the ground her hand all the while she laughed, too.

"How is this a mindless game, Jonouchi-kun?" Kagome crossed her arms stubbornly. "I see it as a game that requires a fool-proof strategy in order to win. You never go into a battle without thinking of all the possibilities, nor do you without the proper ideals."

They all, save for Sango, looked at Kagome as if she had grown a second head.

"What would you know about battles Kagome-chan?" Anzu asked in general worry. Surely she couldn't have been a fighter, right?

Kagome blinked innocently and shook her hand, putting it off. "I told you all. I like history, do I not? You learn a lot when you study about the past battles and such." She shrugged, "It sticks with you."

Honda threw his arm across Jonouchi's shoulders. "And anyway, if you're not into mindless games, waht would you do in a brain-game?"

"What do you mean by that?" Jonouchi glared and jerked out of his grasp.

He smiled playfully and turned his head to the side. "You heard what I said."

"Why you..." Jonouchi never got to finished before Anzu shoved him out of her way.

"What's that about?" She asked and pointed towards the white sash Honda wore.

"Oh, this?" He pointed towards it before motioning towards the cards laying scattered out on Yugi's desk. "Those cards have been getting pretty popular lately. If you have a collection, you best take real good care of it."

"Why?" Kagome asked, flicking a speck of dust off of Jonouchi's blue uniform shirt. Jonouchi glared at her but stopped when he saw her hold up a maroon ruler. "Don't make me." She warned him and turned her attention back towards Honda.

After everyone had turned their attention back towards Honda, Kagome still holding a ruler.

"Because," he began again, "There is some people that are going around and trying to steal some of the more rare cards."

"No way." Anzu looked at the cards in confusion. "Why these cards?"

Yugi shrugged. "Don't know. These cards aren't worth a whole lot. They're really easy to get. There are even people who buys single cards. Even grandpa has gotten single cards."

"Not so loud!" Honda warned, causing Yugi to shrink back some. "People are already starting to protect their stuff. They're even starting to carry their cards inside their hats. Hats for Pete's sake!"

"Well, I fail to see how that's any concern of the cleaners." Jonouchi shrugged, folding his arms back behind his head.

Honda gave a light chuckle. "Say what you will, but my job isn't just about cleaning. First of all, we don't throw garbage!" He cried proudly, "But that's not all there is to my mission. There is more! My authority is no less at home then here- and that's not all. Also, I always do my own homework- never copied. I've stood up to fights. That's the way..."

"Do you mind?" The teacher interrupted and Honda noticed that the whole class had already sat down in their seats.

He quickly followed, being tapped on the back by Sango.

"We tried to snap you out of you mantra," She whispered, "But you just wouldn't stop."

Everyone looked back towards the teacher as she began to speak once again.

"Today, we have another exchange student that I'm proud to introduce." After everyone had the chance to murmur back and forth to each other, she called out, "Please come in." The door slid open and a male wearing a white uniform walked in.

"This is Kaiba Seto-san."

"That Kaiba?" Miho looked at Anzu.

"The one from the amusement industry?" Anzu asked her own questions. "The top-class Kaiba corporation?"

"That's right," The teacher smiled, "Let's move on now."

Kagome eyed him in confusion briefly. Seto Kaiba was widely know throughout Domino, and his name was even popular in many other cities of Japan and around the world. She had never seen him in person, though.

He definitely lived up to expectations. Indeed, he did.

Pale, milky skin appeared smooth to the touch and bright, lime green hair was combed neatly, and a pair of honey brown eyes. A cheerful smile was even printed on his face.

It was clear to see he was fake. Performing an act, and everyone was hypnotized by it with ease.

Physically, Seto was an attractive man, but she could see otherwise.

He was a bit deceitful.

"You may sit beside Taisho Kagome-san." The teacher smiled after he had introduced himself. "Kagome-san, please raise your hand."

Kagome jumped at hearing her name suddenly be called out, and a round of giggles sounded through the room. A blush colored her cheeks and she huffed. Even though it was a bit obvious for him to notice who she was, Kagome raised her hand high into the air.

As he headed towards his new seat, he paused beside Yugi's desk, kneeling forward slightly to pick up a red and purple backed card. He held it out to Yugi.

"Duel Monsters, huh?" He smiled "Is this yours?"

"Thanks." Yugi smiled in return and took the card. "Do you like games like these?"

"Yeah." Seto nodded happily, "I love them."

The teacher hurriedly told him to sit down so she could start the lesson. He did so with a slight nod and sat in the vacant seat beside Kagome.

After a moment, he nodded towards her with a smile.

"You're Taisho Sesshoumaru's daughter, right?"

Kagome glanced up from her notes and shrugged. "Adopted daughter, but yes."

Seto nodded and extended his hand for her to take. She cautiously did and her mouth dropped open when he placed a chaste kiss to the back.

"Its a pleasure to meet you, Kagome-chan."

A light flush of pink dusted over her cheeks as she quickly took her hand out of his grasp. It wasn't long after that she felt an angry flurry of dark energy flare up from the puzzle. Kagome smirked as she ignored Seto's imploring gaze.

Aw, the feisty spirit was jealous.

That.

Was.

Hilarious.

She knew she would regret this- at some near point in the future- but she let an airy giggle tumble from her lips.

"Its nice to meet you too, Seto-kun."

Once again, she could feel the anger of the spirit. She took a curious glance at Yugi, somewhat expecting to see Yami glaring in his anger, but she only saw Yugi taking notes.

Yugi may have been oblivious to her and Seto's interaction, but Yami, for one, definitely was not.

Yes, she would regret passing secret notes back and forth with Seto in her near future.

But, damn would she have a blast when that came.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finished. Lol. I liked this one, and I know I'll like the next one.


	7. .Chapter Six.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The "second part" of the last update.

.Chapter Six.

At the end of the day, Yugi and the others were saying their farewells to Seto. Well, it was more Yugi and Kagome talking politely to him while the others stood a bit away.

"Alright, Yugi-kun. I'll be waiting, so please stop by." He smiled before looked solely at Kagome, "And I really hope you come as well, Kagome-chan"

Kagome smiled and waved her hand playfully. "I plan on showing up, even if it's just for a little while."

Kagome and Yugi waved goodbye before taking a few steps as the dark blue car drove away. The others walked to join the pair.

"It looks like you are already great friends, Yugi." Anzu smiled at him before glancing at Kagome playfully, "And it looks like he likes you, Kagome-chan."

She responded by rolling her eyes. "As if."

Yugi laughed as Kagome brushed it off. "I could see you to clicking really well," he added on.

Kagome laughed in return and shook her head. "Whatever you guys say."

Oh, the irony. She really didn't what was funnier.

That the spirit's host thought she would make a match with Seto, or that he actually encouraged it.

"Why don't you guys come with us, then?" Kagome asked, linking her arm with Yugi's, his face coloring to the shade of a tomato. "That way I can prove he doesn't find me attractive."

The nuzzle from Yami's energy made her eye twitch.

It were as if he were praising her for suggesting that Seto didn't like her. All it was missing was him standing before her and giving her a treat for her behavior.

And, now, she was really glad that was stuck in her head.

Oh, the innuendos that could be taken from that sentence.

"And if he does," Kagome continued, much to the spirit's not so subtle ire, "I could always use some help. I'm afraid I'm a bit blind when it comes to the affections of others."

And then, finally, the constant contact of Yami quit. He was still surrounding her, but not touching her.

A smirk colored her lips.

He was pouting.

As they headed towards Seto's house, Kagome grew a bit tired of feeling the spirit constantly touch her, but not touch her. She moped for a bit before finally spreading her energy out to latch onto his. He responded instantly, his burning her as if to scold her.

"Man," Jonouchi began, "There should be a law against somebody like that guy living in a house like this."

Kagome snapped out of her inner musings and looked towards the others. It was then that she realized that they had already arrived at Seto's house.

Why had she agreed to come? She had no real interest to associate with him.

The constant caresses of dark energy suddenly reminded her.

"Oh, yeah..." Kagome muttered under her breath, "To get you riled up."

The group stood waiting at the front gate, watching as Honda came to a stop on his bike. Miho was sitting on the back.

"No taxis, huh?" Anzu asked.

He shook his head as Seto's voice was heard through the speaker.

"Please come in."

It wasn't a second later that the gates opened, allowing them to enter, before closing after they had passed.

Kagome looked up at the building. It greatly differed from the Taisho manor.

For starters, the colors were primarily red and white, where the colors of Taisho manor held plenty of blues, blacks, and grays. It was also more "modernly" built. The Taisho manor had been built near the end of the reigning of demons, so it was a lot older and more traditional. But it was greatly taken care of and appeared to be brand new when it was hundreds off years old.

As the group walked into the building, the saw Seto standing with his arms clasped behind his back. Behind him were several maids, bowing their heads in greeting.

"Hi." Seto smiled and greeted them. "Everybody came together, hm? I'm so glad you all could make it."

They nodded in return and he took to leading them down the grand hall.

"This place is really incredible." Yugi awed as he looked around.

Seto blushed, the color contrasting obviously with his pale skin. "It's nothing, really."

Jonouchi scoffed, "If this is no big deal, I wonder how my house ranks up."

Anzu giggled at his behavior as Honda shook his head.

"Jonouchi," he began, "Stop kidding around like that or you'll drown in your own jealously."

Jonouchi glared and grabbed him by his collar. "Honda, your stupid comments are really starting to irritate me!"

Kagome whirled around and stared the two down, clenching her fist slightly as Sango, Yugi, and Seto took a wise step back. Anzu saw her anger and took matters into her own hands.

"Guys, you need to behave when you come to a place like this."

Jonouchi huffed and shoved Honda away.

"Whatever you say, mom."

"Why you...!"

"It's alright." Seto smiled and Anzu looked at him. "It's fun hearing them argue." He continued on his way, reaching to take Kagome's hand as he led her and the others.

"That jerk." Jonouchi glared, "He's getting even more full of himself."

"You think?" Honda asked, "I think he's pretty cool for not being a stuffy rich kid."

Anzu tugged them ahead to catch up. Just as they caught up, Seto opened a door to reveal a sky blue painted room. Adorning the walls were shelves and cases holding cards and trophies each.

"Here we are." Seto smiled as he led them into the room, "This is my card collection."

"And those are?" Anzu asked, motioning to the many gold and silver trophies littering the shelves and cases.

"Oh, I've been to all the Duel Monsters championships." He responded, "Those are from the times that I won."

A round of awes spread throughout the group.

"That's pretty impressive, Seto-kun." Kagome smiled, placing her hand on his arm. Sooner or later, she and Sango would need to leave so they could prepare for their search tonight, but she really didn't want to go. She was having a blast, considering that Yami hadn't caught onto her game yet and every time she so much as looked in Seto's direction he would get irritated.

"Um..." Miho nervously walked up towards Seto with her hands folded. "Seto-kun, those cards are really nice, but I'm pretty nice, too. Let's be good friends!"

Immediately after that, Honda tried to pull Miho's attention.

Kagome took a step back and watched at the scene that was unfolding.

"Ah, Miho-chan," Honda began, "Actually, I've been meaning to talk to you about that..."

"If you want to get together sometime, you're more than welcome to come over." Seto told Miho, "All you are."

"You're the best!" Miho cheered and hugged him tightly. Seto only rubbed the back of his neck. At instant, Kagome could see the flames of anger burn around Honda. She rolled her eyes and gently patted him on his arm.

"So, Yugi-kun," Seto began after Miho had released him from her vice-like grip, "Do you have any rare cards with you?"

"Mm, not really." Yugi replied before Anzu tapped his shoulder.

"Didn't you say earlier that your grandfather had some pretty neat cards?" She asked and soon Yugi's face was alight in rescission, and he nodded. At instant, Seto perked up.

"I'd really like to see them." He smiled.

They stayed there for a few more minutes before leaving to head towards the game shop.

"This is were we say goodbye." Kagome smiled and took Sango by the hand. It was going to be six in about twenty minutes and they still have to prepare for the examination of the park.

"Are you not coming with us?" Yugi asked, frowning slightly when Kagome and Sango shook their heads.

"I'm afraid that we have other things that we need to do." Kagome looked a bit apologetic, "As it is, I intended to be at Seto's for just a half hour."

"We're running late." Sango grabbed Kagome's arm and waved towards the group. "We'll see you all tomorrow, sorry we need to rush of. See you all!"

"Bye!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's going to be another part to this up sometime over the weekend probably. I just decided to end it there because I've been neglecting sleep and my eyes really hurt, but I also want to get this uploaded.


	8. .Chapter Seven.

.Chapter Seven.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Night had fallen before the duo left the Taisho manor next. They stuck to the backstreets, much like Kagome had when she first went, as to not be spotted toting their feudal-aged weapons.

Sango had once more adorned her Hiraikotsu and her well-kept slaying uniform. Kagome had dressed herself in Inuyasha's firerat robe, having salvaged it during the final battle. She kept her aged bow pressed closely against her left breast as she led the way.

Looking at each other's faces, both girls could feel the other's comfort.

"Right up this way," Kagome nodded in the direction she was talking about, "The park is right up here."

Sango nodded, tightening her grip on the top notch of her Hiraikotsu in preparation. Once arriving, they ventured towards the center before coming to a halt. Along the "back" end of the park was a large mass of trees, a hiding place for any living creature that deemed them to be a habitat.

That was what they were hunting in. After all, it was the only likely place for something to hide.

"Are you sure about this, Kagome-chan?" Sango asked, "I mean, we could be way in over our heads."

Kagome nodded. "If there is something in there, we need to go ahead and take care of it before it gets too strong, or harms a human. You take the west and southwest. I'll handle the east and the southeast. We'll meet back up at the entrance in an hour, two tops. If you finish and find nothing, head back and wait. I'll do the same."

Sango nodded. "Be careful."

"You too."

They went their separate ways into the woods.

.

.

.

It wasn't much of a shock for either of them, but their searches turned up negative. It was unnerving and frustrating, because it was obvious something had been there but had now migrated to elsewhere. It could be anywhere and Kagome could no longer pick up its aura, save for the small remains lining the treetops, and that meant they had no way of tracking it unless it did something that drew attention.

Generally speaking, they were shit out of luck in the situation.

"Let's head back home," Sango suggested, "We'll just have to keep our guard up and our eyes on the news."

Kagome sighed, nodding her head to show she accepted the idea. "I just want a nice, long bath and an equally long nap."

"I'm with you on that one."  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Good morning." Kagome smiled as she and Sango joined the group in the class. Once more, they were playing Duel Monsters. "Again with this game? School is a place for learning, you guys." She scolded. What she got were three disbelief filled faces. Kagome rolled her eyes at them. "Sheesh, I was joking."

Sango giggled and went to stand beside Anzu, Kagome following suit after a few seconds.

"So what did you two need to do yesterday?" Anzu asked, genuine curiosity coating her voice.

"Yeah." Jonouchi spoke up, turning his attention away from the game for a few minutes. "What was so important that you ditched us."

Kagome waved her hand. "It was nothing, we just had to finish up some business for our father."

Sango nodded shortly after, sending Kagome a puzzled look when no one looked. Could it be that she was still worked up over the unsure identity of their possible enemy? She reached to grab Kagome's wrist, throwing a reassuring glance when their eyes met.

An unspoken message was secured between the two.

It was going to be okay.

Kagome offered Sango her own smile and linked her arm with the brunette.

As the trio of girls stood, watching as Yugi explained why Honda won and Jonouchi lost, Kagome felt the gentle caress of Yami's energy encircle her as if he were hugging her. She sighed and pressed her fingers to her forehead. Perhaps the next time she saw him she would need to have a conversation with him.

"So which one of you are going to duel Kaiba-kun?" Anzu asked, pulling the groups' attention to her. It was then that Kagome took notice of Miho standing beside her. Kagome smiled and greeted her.

"He is!" Honda and Jonouchi blurted out at the same time, pointing towards one another. A second later they glared at each other. "What?!"

The two stared each other down for a few minutes before huffing and looking elsewhere. Kagome giggled at their behavior, stopping once she heard someone stop walking on the other side of Sango. Kagome glanced up to eye Seto somewhat cautiously. She waved to greet him, sighing lightly when Yami's energy flared up around her. He really did not like her associating herself with Seto, now did he?

Of course, that meant she would.

"Good morning, everyone." Seto smiled before silently approaching Yugi, "About that phone call yesterday..."

Kagome rose an eyebrow before turning to Jonouchi.

"So what all did you do yesterday after Sango and I left?"

He shrugged. "Nothing really. We just looked at some cards before Kaiba left, and then we just hung around until we all had to leave."

She nodded and walked up to stand beside Seto. Shortly after, though, she found herself moving closer to Yugi to humor Yami. She tuned into the conversation, watching as Yugi handed Seto a card to look at. She couldn't see it very well, but she did catch a glimpse of a white colored dragon.

"Jii-chan said there wasn't any harm in me bringing it." Yugi smiled, "Just as long as I bring it back."

Seto smiled and nodded in understanding. "I just wanted to see it once again. He taught me to have love for my cards."

Kagome assumed this "He" was Yugi's grandfather.

A sudden motion caught Kagome's attention as she saw Seto hand the card back, dropping it accidentally in the process. She frowned, watching as he handed the card back with the opposite hand that he had picked it up with. Her eyes connected with Seto's and a foul glare settled on her lips.

Seto glared back before turning back to Yugi.

"If I had that card, I'd shine every time I had it on me."

Before a word could leave her mouth, a familiar aura caressed her and took everything off of her mind. She gasped and looked out the window, to where the aura was coming from.

"Kagome-chan?" Seto asked, taking a hold of her hand before anyone else had the chance. "Are you alright? You look pale."

His statement brought on the attention of everyone else, and she nodded, gritting her teeth.

"I'm just fine, Seto-kun." She looked over her shoulder towards the door, "I just forgot something at home and I need to go get it." She took her hand from his and motioned for Sango to cover for her. "I'll be back before lunch, okay?"

"Got it." Sango nodded, "I'll tell the teacher you'll be here later."  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Kagome growled as she continued on her way, turning down a darkened alleyway. It wasn't like she had better things to do, other than chase down some weak leveled shadow-lurking demon. At least he was asking her to do it in the day, and not night.

Before she took another step, the shadows beside her moved and she was knocked back and into the brick wall behind her. A loud cry fell from her lips as she slid down to the ground.

Damn Sesshoumaru and his crummy orders. Damn him straight to the hottest and lowest level of hell.

Kagome cringed and stood back up, wiping the trail of blood leaking from her bottom lip and rubbed her cheek. She'd take care of the minor cuts later, Kagome decided, and continued on her way.

As weak-leveled the demon was, he could cause a lot of harm to humans while lurking throughout the shadows. If she lost him, them he was gone until she caught hold of his aura once again.

An angry hiss spilled from her lips as she was left with no where else to go. She notched an arrow and took cautious steps into the shadows. It seemed darker than normal in the shadows. Kagome had a feeling it had something to do with the demon hiding within them.

She came to a pause, unsure of where she was. She couldn't even see two feet in front of her. A low growl echoed around her and Kagome tapped her foot in irritation. She loosened her grip on her bow, allowing the arrow to tumble to the ground as she brought her hand up, a ball of pink energy lighting up the shadows just enough for her to see. She brought her energy up to surround her in a pink haze.

"Okay." She huffed, "Note to self, next time when handling something like this, get Sango to come."

Kagome could feel the demon coming closer to her and she smirked.

She counted back from three, the light surrounding her dimming every number she silently said.

Let the fight begin, bitch.

Begin, it did, and Kagome spared no interest for the arrow laying on the ground as she notched a different one. She had no time to aim before two clawed hands lifted her from the ground. Her eyes briefly met bloodied red before she was thrown to the side like a rag-doll by a child. She hit a piled of wooden planks that was decorated with nails and smelled of mold.

The demon gave a fierce cry, the surroundings shaking as it echoed around the two. She could hear heavy steps approaching her and Kagome took a plank from the top of the pile and swung it as hard as she could. It connected with him, the sound of a cracking bone being proof enough. Kagome pulled the plank back and got up quickly, running further down the alley to where a barely working light was set up.

Gruff hands picked her up by her hair, tugging her off of the ground. She screamed in furious anger at feeling prying fingers trace around her thigh. Clawed digits tore her panties away with ease, the red and gray patterned fabric falling towards the ground in shredded tatters.

Panic surged through her and she began to buck wildly against him, but his grip wouldn't relent.

She screamed again at the feel of three fingers being forced past dry nether lips. The claws scratched the sides of her inner walls and tears formed and slid down her cheeks. Blood dripped down the intruding appendages and made his intentions easier.

"No," Kagome pleaded silently to him and his grip on her hair tightened, "Please not this."

He chuckled and tugged her head back. "Tainting a pure Miko will be a new experience for me." He ran his tongue over her pulse. "You'll make a nice meal afterwords."

A muffled cry fell as tendrils came out from the shadows and wrapped around her ankles and wrists, more surrounding her mouth.

Why couldn't she bring her energy back to the surface to prevent him from touching him? Kagome tried to at least put a barrier up, but it didn't work. The male standing before her, licking his fingers clean of her blood noticed and smirked.

"You are in my hands, Miko." He walked towards her, tearing her shirt apart without caring. It ripped into two pieces and the buttons scattered about around them. "In the shadows, a Miko has no power."

That wasn't true. She had been able to use her powers earlier.

He saw her disbelief filled face and chuckled.

"Alright, I was lying." His hands snapped her bra apart and he threw the red material to the side. "Surely you've noticed that it is a lot darker than it normally would be, ne? Its my doing. I allowed you to use your powers, seeping mine into your being when you took them back." His tongue flicked her right nipple, glaring as she pulled herself away. "If I were to take my energy back, you would be able to use yours."

She stood bound, watching as the demon licked his fingers clean of her blood. She closed her eyes and tried to bring her energy up to surround her. Doing so in a panicked state would be of no help.

She could feel him coming closer, feeling him place his hands on her hips. He snatched her skirt from her, leaving her completely exposed.

The head of his cock touched her opening, and Kagome tensed, waiting for him to move.

He didn't though.

He pressed his lips to her ear, licking the shell before whispering, "That's right, bitch. It's best if you know your place among us." The binds surrounding her mouth vanished and his slanted against her's. A long, wet tongue forced itself between her bruising lips.

Kagome bit him, the metallic taste of blood coating her tongue. It disgusted her, but she swallowed it.

He smacked her hard, her head snapping to the side.

"You want to play that way, hm?" He asked, snatching her back up to her feet.

"I have no intention to play." Kagome growled, "I'm going to kill you, you fucking bastard!"

Pink energy came up to surrounded Kagome, and knocked him away from her. Pink surrounded him as a loud scream came from him. Once the pink vanished, all that was left was a pile of ashes.

Newly freed, Kagome sighed lightly before feeling her stomach churn in unease. She quickly turned to a stray garbage can and vomited.

After finished her little sick spell, she wiped her mouth and gathered her torn clothes.

How lovely.

Her method may have been a bit unorthodox, but it worked. Taking some of his blood into her body, whichever way possible (even drinking) would allow her the power to burn away his energy contaminating her, and allow her the freedom of her powers. It also would kill the source of the contamination, if it could latch onto them.

Which it had been able to.

It was a method Keade had told her of, and that it was only to be used in cases of extreme emergency.

Her panties, bra, and shirt were all unsalvageable, but her skirt was good. She put the ruined garments in her bag, picking up her bow, before muttering a spell to surround her and make her invisible.

Once doing so, she made her way back to the Manor to get a change of clothes and take a shower.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
School had long since ended, and everyone had worried for her when she didn't return. She felt a bit bad about not returning after hearing Sango tell her about the hopes she was okay.

When Sango asked if she was okay, Kagome shook it off and refused to answer, excusing herself to go take a walk. Sango asked if she wanted company, but Kagome rejected it as soon as it was offered.

Kagome kept to a basic path, sticking underneath the street lights lining the sidewalk. She had built up her powers, surrounding her in a protective shell that slowly healed her injuries without tiring her out. Her body still ached and every step sent a surge of soreness through her.

She kept her eyes downcast as she paid no attention to those around her. After a few minutes, she collided with someone and was pulled against a leather covered chest. Before she could panic, a familiar aura began to pry at her shell, trying to get her to take it down so he could wrap her in his own.

Kagome looked up to spot curious red eyes staring at her. The touches of Yami's aura were gentle, as if he were afraid that too much would hurt her. She smiled and brought her hand up to stroke the side of his face. He flinched slightly, as if he worried she would send him back into the depths of Yugi's mind. At feeling her hand gently trace his cheek, he leaned into her touch and smiled.

"Why are you out so late?" Kagome asked, referring to why he was in control of Yugi.

"Do not worry yourself with it." He sighed happily before looking towards her. "What's wrong?" He asked, frowning at the distressed aura she held that he had latched onto.

Kagome's eyes went downcast. "I don't want to talk about it." She whispered and placed her head on his shoulder, wrapping both arms around him and hugging him tightly for comfort.

Yami narrowed his eyes and tugged her head back by pulling lightly on the bottom of her hair, anger forming at seeing her somewhat bruised lips and feeling her wince against his pulls.

Someone had been violent with his precious girl.

Yami tugged her back gently, placing one hand onto her hip, the other still resting in her wavy hair. His actions caused her to look up and their gaze to connect.

"Are you afraid?" He whispered, gently patting down her onyx hair. Bright red eyes bore into her soul, staring at her beating heart in an attempt to understand her.

He was darkness.

He could see right through her.

He could manipulate her.

He could see her every lie before they left her lips.

He knew it was an unneeded question, then.

Still, she breathes deep and stares him in the eyes, her lips trembling. "No." She whispers. "And you already know that."

Yami smiled at her answer, drawing her closer against him. The space between them vanished as he claimed her lips in a possessive kiss.

He was darkness, indeed.

Kagome pulled him close, fingers tangling in his hair.

This darkness was comforting and gentle. Kagome dropped her protective barrier completely and tangled her aura with his own.

Her worry vanished as his aura surrounded her, caressing every aching area with loving strokes.

Yami broke the kiss, giving Kagome a quick chance to breathe, before stealing her lips once more. He ran his tongue across her sealed lips, silently pleading for the opportunity to enter.

She gave it a moments thought before parting her lips and instantly his tongue caressed her own.

Yami groaned quietly as the taste of honey and lemon, the taste of her, stained him. The sweet and sour leaving a drugging effect on him.

They pulled apart, their cheeks flushed.

Kagome smiled apologetically and put her hand over his eyes.

"Wait-!"

"Too late." Kagome giggled and brought Yugi back to the surface. He looked at her curiously.

"Kagome-chan?" He asked, "What happened?"

She shrugged, "I was just taking a walk and saw you, so I came to talk."

He nodded lightly, trying to remember what had happened. Kagome smiled and shook her head.

What had she gotten herself into?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't put the Yami and Seto duel in this because it would have taken too long, so I just settled for putting a Yami/Kagome fluffy bit at the end.
> 
> It took a bit longer than I planned, but here it is~ Hope you enjoyed.


	9. .Chapter Eight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't updated this in a while, so here you go~  
> After a long debate, I decided to skip the whole wrist watch episode. Sure the penalty game was extreme, the whole thing before that bored me a bit.

.Chapter Eight.

A week had easily passed since everything had occurred and Seto had not shown back up at school since. Kagome had her brief hunches that it was Yami that caused this, but she hadn't had the chance to confirm them. Once more she could breathe as Yugi stayed in control of his own body, and was seemingly unaware of the presence located in the depths of the puzzle.

Speaking of Yami, just how did she feel about him? She wasn't afraid, but she didn't completely trust him either. Not yet at least. Yami was, what it felt like, a psychopathic spiritual being. Normally she would have long since eradicated him before he could stir up trouble, but... why didn't she want to? Why did he make her feel calm, all the while able to send an individual into mental turmoil if they crossed him the wrong way? If she were to cross him, would he do the same to her or forgive and forget?

It bothered her... the way he could easily just wrap his energy around her and she would willingly open herself up to him. That night... that night when they kissed was forever imprinted behind her eyelids, and she could still feel his gentle touches and tugs. It had felt like he had control of her, but why didn't she fear him? What was wrong with her?

"Ne, Kagome-chan? Are you okay?"

Kagome jumped out of her thoughts at Yugi waving his hand in front of her face, his eyes reflecting the worry his voice held. A smile coated her lips as she nodded. "Mm, I'm just fine."

He gave her a look as if he didn't believe her, pursing his lips together as he eyed her. "You're not lying are you? You've been acting different for a while."

Kagome giggled and nodded. She hugged Yugi tightly. Once tugging away from him, Kagome stuck her tongue out at him and grasped his hand. Pulling him along with her, Kagome entered the classroom.

"You're sweet to worry about me, Yugi-kun." Kagome offered him a smile as they sat down, "But I'm okay, I've just been thinking about a lot of stuff recently, and I guess its been stressing me out a bit, huh?"

"Read this, then!"

Kagome blinked owlishly when Yugi shoved a scrap of paper he had removed from his bag into her face.

"An Egyptian Exhibit?" Kagome asked, "What about it?"

"You said you liked history right?" Yugi smiled when Kagome nodded, "Then I was thinking everyone could go to the museum this weekend. Maybe it'll take your mind off of whatever you're stressing about."

That was highly unlikely, considering what was bothering her came from a tomb in Egypt. Still, Yugi didn't know that so she found it really sweet. "I think that's a great idea!" Kagome smiled enthusiastically. "And who knows, maybe we'll see a mummy!"

"A mummy?!" Jonouchi shouted as he and the others finally made it back into the classroom from the break. "Why are you talking about a mummy, Taisho?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. So Jonouchi was afraid of mummies? How... tempting. "Here, Katsuya read it for yourself."

"An Egyptian Exhibit?" He asked, mimicking her words from before. "What about it?"

Anzu snatched the flyer out of his hands so she could read it. "Big discoveries in the Valley of Kings?"

Yugi smiled. "Its going to debut at Domino's museum."

Sango clasped her hand together. "That looks really interesting! I say we go."

"The archaeologist that found the tomb is and old friend of Jii-chan's. He invited us to the expo."

"I saw his name in the newspaper a few times in the past." Anzu commented as she continued to read. She gave the flyer back to Jonouchi so he could see it. "Yugi-kun, wasn't your pendent found in Egypt, too?"

Yugi nodded and gently grabbed the golden pendent. "Yeah, its the Sennen Puzzle."

"Didn't your Jii-chan say that nearly every archaeologist who was part of the excavation of it died mysteriously after doing so, though?" Sango asked after a minute.

Jonouchi jumped and looked at Yugi in worry and disbelief. "Is that true!? Are your sure your not cursed or under some kind of spell, Yugi?!"

"Of course I'm sure." Yugi laughed about it before he fell silent. Kagome noticed and glanced towards him, watching as he held the puzzle to his face, eyeing it closely as he did.

Was he aware of Yami?

"Hey, it says here that they found a mummy!" Honda commented out loud, drawing Kagome's attention.

"How cool!" She squealed.

"Have you lost your mind?" Jonouchi shouted at her. "A mummy is a prehistoric dead guy wrapped up!"

Kagome glared before shrugging her shoulders. "Should I care? The mummy is an ancient Pharaoh, and that's pretty damn cool in my book. I definitely want to see him."

"What's the matter?" Honda asked after his little fit with Kagome. "You're not scared of mummies, are you?"

'Bingo, ding ding ding, we have a hit.' Kagome thought quietly to herself.

"Of course not, you idiot!" Jonouchi yelled back at him.

After he said that, Honda went into his own little world of thinking.

"And just like that, another one becomes a space cadet." Kagome muttered under her breath as she looked between Yugi and Honda... At least Yugi had a normal expression on his face. She jumped when Honda suddenly yelled.

"Alright," He pumped his fist into the air in excitement, "We're going to the Egyptian Exhibit!"

"We'll meet at the museum at one pm on Sunday, then." Anzu smiled and everyone, save for Jonouchi, happily agreed.

"This is going to be so fun!" Miho cried excitedly.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
When Sunday came and one pm rolled around, the group of teenagers met at the museum with Yugi's grandfather. They all stood outside as they waited for his grandfather's friend. They didn't have to wait long before another person made their way over to them.

"There he is," Yugi's grandfather motioned to an older gentleman walking up the stairs.

He wore an olive green business suit. He sent them a friendly smile as he came to a halt before them.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting."

"It wasn't a problem." Surogoku smiled in return, "Thanks for inviting us." He turned to face the ground behind him. "Kids, let me introduce you all to Professor Yoshimori."

"Nice to meet you." Sango smiled.

"So he's the famous archaeologist?" Honda asked, and he was answered with a nod.

"And this man," Professor Yoshimori motioned to a short, pig-nosed man walking up to them. "He is the keeper and the organizer of the museum's exhibition. He is also the sponsor for the digs that were done in Egypt."

After Yoshimori had finished speaking, the man in the yellow suit introduced himself. "My name is Kanekura! Welcome to my museum." He then turned back to the professor and whispered something to him. At instant Professor Yoshimori looked towards the group.

"Mr. Moto, you told me about your grandson. The one who managed to sold the Sennen Puzzle riddle." Surogoku looked at him in confusion for a moment before Yugi looked towards them. Professor Yoshimori motioned to him. "Is this him?"

At instant, Kanekura rushed over to Yugi.

"So this is it... the famous Sennen Puzzle." He grasped it tightly in his hands, nearly causing Yugi to topple to the floor. Sango caught his arms and narrowed her eyes at the rude man. "It's splendid! Its a priceless cultural Egyptian treasure!"

"Mr Kanekura is a expert when it comes to the value of artifacts." Professor Yoshimori told the group as Yugi quickly took the pendent away from the man, holding the gold trinket in his hands.

"We should hurry and go see the mummies." Honda commented with enthusiasm. Kagome looked towards Jonouchi and frowned a bit at his uneasy expression. Rolling her eyes, she made her way over to him and linked their arms.

"Everything okay, Blondie?" She asked, "You seem to get a little green at the mention of mummies."

Jonouchi snatched his arm away from her with a nervous laugh. "Don't be ridiculous, Kagome. Everything is fine!"

Kagome shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever floats your boat."

"Please allow me to show your Sennen Puzzle in the exhibit today." Kanekura's voice drew her attention and she suddenly felt Yami curl his energy around her, trying to get her to stop the idea.

Odd... He didn't want to be put in a glass case for all to see his glory. And here the thought that would be any person's dream... NOT. She didn't blame him, wanting to stay around Yugi's neck. She thought it rude for Kanekura to boldly ask, before she remembered that she was currently the only one aware of Yami, that she openly knew. How was he to know that there was a spirit entangled to it? She couldn't very well tell them that, either.

Somewhat apologetically, she tangled their energy together. She wasn't able to get him out of this. And hey, maybe Yugi would say no.

Yugi appeared to think it over very carefully before taking the pendent from around his neck. "Okay... I'm sure one day will by fine."

"Really?" Kanekura asked happily. "Thank you Yugi. I assure you, I'll take good care of it."

Kagome glared at his retreating back.

She didn't trust him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll just end this here.


	10. .Chapter Nine.

.Chapter Nine.  
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The group made their way throughout the museum, splitting off into separate groups, each going to what caught their eye.

Anzu, Miho, and Honda stuck to the simple path, even as Honda tried to lure the periwinkle haired girl towards the mummy. Sango and Yugi headed towards the right, and Kagome opted for settling beside Jonouchi.

She sent him a sly look before glancing over her shoulder. "I wonder where the mummy is."

Kagome couldn't help it- she loved the way he would tense at the sudden mention. It was so damn funny!

"Would you stop bringing that up?" Jonouchi growled and quickly folded his arms.

"I will," Kagome began, "But first you need to admit you're afraid of them."

"I'm not afraid of no mummy!" Jonouchi shouted, silencing his voice down a couple notches when he got a few foul glares from the other people occupying the section they were in. "I'm not afraid of some wrapped up... dead... guy."

"A lot of people are afraid of mummies, Jonouchi." Kagome rolled her eyes, "Its okay to be moderately ashamed."

He shoved Kagome's shoulder, causing her to stumbled over her feet and fall on her behind. A low whimper spilled from her lips when the cool tile ground connected with her skirt clad rear and the back of her thighs.

"That was mean." Kagome sniffled and batted her eye lashes as if she were about to cry. A hand was extended out for her to grasp, and Kagome looked up to spot the Professor. He tugged her up quickly and gave them both a scolding look.

"No rough housing, kids." He reprimanded and they both apologized before going to following behind him.

"So, this whole treasure belongs to the person who discovered it?" Jonouchi asked.

Professor Yoshimori shook his head. "No, in 1921, the individual who found the treasure was entitled to half of their findings. However, now every finding is property of the Egyptian state."

"That's why the man who found the tomb of King Tutankhamen in 1922 couldn't keep a single treasure from his find." Surogoku explained as the others walked to catch up with them.

"I thought archaeologists were people who would dream of quests for treasure." Yugi commented.

"No. There's nothing as thankless as the job of an archaeologist." The professor turned to face the group, "On the other hand, nothing can compare with the indescribable happiness tied to the moment when you discover a historical site. Its a joy so profound that I can't stop practicing this craft."

"You really prefer the trip instead of the money." Surogoku elaborated more.

"You're right." Yoshimori nodded with a smile.

"Hey, look at this!" Anzu called over her shoulder and the group migrated over to where she stood. They looked at it in confusion for a moment before Yoshimori explained.

"This papyrus depicts the scene of the judgement of the dead. The dead must themselves to the judgement of the after world's Gods. The scale them judges the good deeds and the sins that the dead committed in life. If the scale leaned towards the side of sins, the dead is given to the monsters of the darkness."

The group stared silently for a moment, their mouths hanging agape. When he received no answer, Yoshimori nodded his head to the side.

"Shall we head for the mummies?"

Kagome clasped her hands together. "Yay! Finally!" She took Jonouchi by the arm and began to skip behind the professor.

"What?" An odd chocked sound fell from the boy being tugged against his will. "We're really going to see the mummies? Really?"

"She's really enjoying herself." Yugi commented to Sango, causing the brunette to jump.

"Oh, yeah." Sango smiled and nodded. "I honestly think she's getting way too into this. But, I'll admit, its the happiest I've seen her in a while, so I'm glad."

"You and Kagome-chan have a really close bond, don't you?"

His question caused Sango to pull her bottom lip between her teeth. After a moment, Sango nodded. "Yeah, I suppose we do." And they did, they had been through so much together. "But I also think she's just trying to make Jonouchi uncomfortable. I mean, come on."

Yugi laughed and nodded. "That might be it."

"I'm just glad that she finally likes Jonouchi." Sango breathed a sigh of relief. "Its like she finally sees him as a friend."

Yugi stood silently for a moment, remembering the day the two girls transferred to the class. He had often played it off due to her being a new student, but Kagome had looked extremely depressed. "Does Kagome-chan have a lot of friends?"

At his sudden question Sango fell silent. Yugi sent her a worried glance and frowned at seeing her somewhat lost expression. Just as he was about to apologize for asking, a small smile graced Sango face and she shook her head lightly.

"Not many, no." Her voice was quiet, as if speaking of a long treasured secret. "Before we met you all, we had a few friends but they're gone now. Kagome didn't try to make friends afterwards, and neither did I. For quite some time its just been us two."

"What about your father?" Yugi asked, unable to help it. "Isn't he there for you?"

"Not all the time. He practically never takes notice and lets us do as we want."

Yugi cringed when Sango's voice turned to the texture of acid.

"Sesshoumaru is cold and barely shows emotions." Sango snorted, "But it doesn't matter. All of us are okay with that."

The two stood in somewhat tense silence afterwards.

"You all are the first real friends that we've had in a while." Sango began again after a few minutes had passed. She looked up and spotted Kagome merrily dragging Jonouchi down the hall while he fought to get turned around. "And I'm glad to see Kagome-chan happy again."

"Are you happy, Sango-chan?" Yugi asked her. She turned to look at him with a smile, and she nodded.

"Kinda, yeah." She placed her arm on his shoulder, Yugi being a few inches smaller than her. His face colored a slight rose shade. "Now lets go see that dead guy, eh?"

Sango said that with just a little too much enthusiasm, Yugi decided to himself.


	11. .Chapter Ten.

.Chapter Ten.  
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By the time the duo arrived at the mummies, they had this ghosting feeling that they had missed something extremely important.

Why do you ask?

Jonouchi was being held snug in the arms of Honda, who looked both shocked and a bit let down. Kagome was off to the side and laughing over beside the professor. She held a camera in her hands and she was slightly doubled over.

They looked at each other, seeing if the other had an idea as to what had happened. Not getting an answer, they shrugged and walked towards them all. Once getting close enough they could hear Jonouchi muttering into Honda's chest.

"I feel so awful all of a sudden... Its the curse of the mummy!"

"Oh please!" Honda grumbled and shoved Jonouchi away from him. The petrified blonde steadied himself before he ran into the glass, his face just mere inches away from the mummy concealed behind thick glass.

Jonouchi promptly screamed and began to usher Anzu and Miho away with him. "Let's get out of here quick before we're all cursed!"

After the three had left, Kagome skipped up to Yugi and Sango while merrily waving her camera.

"I got his freak out on tape." She began, preparing to show the other two. "Just to let you know, this has made my day."

"You're gonna blackmail him, aren't you?" Sango asked blankly and Kagome nodded without a speck of shame.

"Does that make me a bad person?"

"A terrible one." Sango responded, "But this is you we're talking about and this is right up your alley."

Kagome rolled her eyes and felt a person come to stand beside her. Out of curiosity, she glanced over her shoulder and saw a tall, tanned man dressed in white. Curiosity peaking, she turned completely around and glanced up at him as he began to cry as he stared at the mummy.

"Why are you crying?" Yugi asked after noticing him.

"These are not my tears." His voice was monotone as he spoke, sending a shiver of unease down Kagome's spine. "His appearance has been reduced to a cluster of dirty fabrics, but he remains a powerful Pharaoh. His name and soul are here for all eternity. As I'm confronted with the sight of his eternal sleep, the sadness of his soul is passed onto me and into the tears that streak down my cheeks."

The scale in his hand and the ankh around his neck held the similar dark energy that existed around the puzzle, just not as powerful. Kagome ignored it for the time being and dove her hand into her skirt pocket and pulled out a blue cloth. With a small smile on her lips, she held the handkerchief out for him to take.

"It is pretty upsetting to see someone who was once a powerful ruler reduced to being placed in a museum for people to watch." Kagome reasoned with him. "Even though I looked forward to seeing him more than anything, I do really believe it would be best if he was back where he belonged in his tomb. Its awful that he was moved from his burial."

The man sent her a smile and he affectionately patted her head. "You are a sweet girl." He smiled, "You comprehend the feelings of the dead, even if you have no ties to them. A talent like your's is uncommon. You have a great ability." He turned and looked towards Yugi and Sango. He patted their heads as well. "You are a nice boy, and a nice girl."

Sango gave him a strange look as he left, while Yugi bristled at the comment.

"I'm a high school student!" He felt Sango take him by his wrist and they both noticed Kagome had began to leave. "Did he upset Kagome-chan?"

Sango shook her head, "I don't think so. Let's go catch up with the others."

Once they had finally caught up with the rest of the group, they headed over towards where the puzzle was on display.

"Check it out, Yugi." Jonouchi started, "Your treasure is gonna become famous because of the exhibition."

Yugi looked at the puzzle hanging from a hook on the top of the glass. "You think so?" He asked with a slight laugh.

Kagome ran a hand through her hair with a quiet sigh. That thick glass did nothing to keep the dark energy of Yami concealed. Once again it was wrapped all around her in an attempt to keep her to stay beside the case. Her glare remained fixated on the retreating back of Kanekura. She didn't like him. Not only did he give her the creeps the way he had eyed the group almost the entire time they had been there, but he kept talking to some man while around the puzzle. She desperately wished she knew what they had been talking about...

"Let's all take a picture to remember today."

Kagome jumped at hearing Anzu's voice. She was then pulled under Jonouchi's arm. A smile replaced the glare she had been sending Kanekura's way as she looked towards the camera.

All she could think was at least this day was almost over, and soon Yugi would have the puzzle back. Before she could smash it into the old creep's face a couple of times.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Once they had exited the museum as it neared closing time, they group said their goodbyes to one another. Kagome was somewhat tempted to wait with Yugi so he wasn't alone outside the place, but that plan was shot when she felt the aura of Sesshoumaru approaching them.

She turned right on cue to see him standing at the bottom of the stairs. His presence attracted the attention of the other bystanders as he motioned for Kagome and Sango to follow him.

"You two are required."

His tone sent chills down the groups's spines and they looked at the two girls preparing to leave.

"Who is that?" Anzu asked as quietly as possible. "Are you two going to be alright going with him?"

"I am their father." Sesshoumaru responded, shocking the others that he had managed to hear Anzu's soft spoken question. "They will be fine."

His tone did little to reassure them, but they watched as Kagome and Sango followed behind him.

Jonouchi glared a bit. "Something's off about him."

"For once I think you're right." Anzu agreed before they all went their separate ways.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Yugi waited a while before heading back into the museum at closing time. He wandered the halls for quite some time before a silhouette of a figure appeared. It soon revealed to be the man from before. As he came closer, Yugi took notice of the Sennen puzzle in his other hand.

Confused, but happy to see the puzzle, Yugi quickened his pace to reach the man. "Why do you have my puzzle?"

His question caught the man off guard.

"You're the boy from before. The one with the girl."

This boy had completed the puzzle? How was that?

He furrowed his brow. If anyone had completed it from the three earlier, he would have assumed it to be the blue eyed girl based on her powers and aura, not some boy that showed no signs of ancient abilities.

"Yep, that's me." Yugi nodded, "but how did you get my puzzle?"

'Its said that the one who solves the puzzle will be granted special powers... the same powers my family holds.' The man continued eyeing the boy before him. 'Was it really him who solved the Sennen puzzle?' Still, to him, the girl was a more obvious candidate. He was going to set out on a search for her to get answers, and have her explain just who she was, but now this boy held his attention.

He would get his answers from the girl later.

Even so, he must test this boy first to see if he had inherited the powers.

Using the key around his neck, Shadi entered the boy's mind.

He made his way down a blue bricked hallway, stopping short when two different rooms came into appearance. He looked inside the one on the left first, as the door was wide open.

"This room is filled with toys and games... a pure and innocent soul." Shadi noted before glancing over his shoulder to the dark stone door. It was sealed closed. Narrowing his eyes, he turned and reached out to open the door, snatching his hand back when it opened from the inside.

As it completely opened, a figure stood half bathed in light, half concealed in the dark. Shadi gasped and his eyes widened.

"Oh..." A chilling smile appeared on Yami's face at the sight of the Egyptian dressed in white, "It would appear that I have a visitor. I'm surprised."

Shadi stood frozen for a moment as the same boy from before folded his arms. He quickly corrected himself, however. This boy wasn't the same. He was darker, more malicious.

"Who are you?" Yami was not asking for a name, his voice made it obvious. He was demanding an answer.

Shadi felt confused. More often than not, a man would only have one room in their mind, but this boy... this boy had two. One that was light and carefree, whereas the other was heavy and frozen. The room he currently stood in reminded him very much of an Egyptian tomb that belonged to a Pharaoh.

"I don't know what kind of power you used to come in here, but" Yami began, his voice turning a bit more cold as he spoke. He would have much more preferred Kagome visiting instead of this man. "I want you to tell me what encouraged you to come here."

"I am aware that I have invited myself inside of your home." Shadi finally spoke, a light laugh in his words. "It follows that I must answer your question. It's a matter of politeness." He made his way further into the room, taking slow steps towards Yami. "I have come to find out the nature of the power given to you by the Sennen Puzzle."

"You are aware of the existence of the Sennen Puzzle?"

However dark the room was, some light energy was there. At instance the blue eyed girl from before entered his mind.

She was somewhat more important to this side of the boy? Possible lust, love maybe? Some strong desire was what kept her energy here. A desperate need to keep her close. For her protection, her touch, her aura, possibly?

"The Sennen Puzzle is an item of darkness." Shadi explained how he knew of the puzzle. "It is over three thousand years old and was resting in the Valley of Kings. Magicians who guarded the tombs invented it in order to chase away the looters who would go after the Pharaoh's treasure. The subject is breached in the works of Pel Em Fulh."

"So it is because of your own Sennen item that you are allowed to come here?" Yami asked, ignoring most of his explanation.

"With the darkness of my Sennen Key." Shadi nodded, "Another item of mine is my Scale of Justice. It allows me to weigh a person's sins. They are my items that I use... but I do not know the strength of the puzzle. I do not know if the power was transmitted to the one who solved the riddle." Once more he thought of the girl. Even if she did not hold the power of the puzzle, she had some ancient magic that he also desired to know.

"So, this is why you entered my soul with your key..."

"If I managed to see this room, I'll know whether the power is locked in there or is laying currently dormant in that girl's own body. I have to find out... who inherited the dark magic. If my family needs it, I must find out."

"Girl?" Yami narrowed his eyes. "Kagome-chan?"

"She is important to you." Shadi confirmed his accusations when the boy before him tensed and more dark swelled around the small bit of light energy, protecting it from him.

"The Sennen Puzzle's indeed lies inside this room." Yami responded, the atmosphere changing at the slight indication of Kagome being placed in some form of danger. "But... I will not show it to you so easily. We'll play a game."

Shadi nodded his agreement, pushing the thought of the girl out of his head for a moment. She'll be a later topic for him.

"So, you wish to know the power of the puzzle?" Yami asked, clarifying what he wanted. "Then the rules are simple." He waited for a moment to see is the other man was paying attention. "The real room is within the walls of my soul. Will you manage to find it and then get your hands on the treasure?"

Shadi chuckled in response. "I forgot to tell you, I have some power as well. I have the power to change elements in the room of the soul, and that allows me to control its owner. Of course, I can also destroy the personality of the person." He crossed his arms over his chest. "I accept to your offer of a game. I will find the true room of your soul."

Yami laughed. "It won't be so easy, I'm afraid. I think you underestimate the danger of this game. You see, play with the safety of my Kagome, you play with your life and your sanity." The room around them changed into a labyrinth filled with millions of doors and hundreds of staircases, some normal, while other were upside down.

"A-A maze?"

At his surprised outburst, Yami chucked. "What's the matter? Already giving up?"

When the game started, Yami disappeared and Shadi made his way up one of the staircases. One lone door stood in a wall and he made his way towards it.

He would start with this one.

He opened the door and took a few steps into the room. A loud rumble from overhead caused him to look up and jump back. He moved out of the way just in time to avoid being crushed by a black wrecking ball.

A somewhat transparent figure of Yami appeared, a smirk painted in his lips in amusement.

"I warned you, you are playing with your life." He chuckled. "If you go about looking this way, you're not at the end of your troubles. I'll be waiting for you in the actual room now. Good luck!"

A sneer made its way onto Shadi's face at the trap. He picked himself up and continued on his way.

He opened many more trap doors in his quest before he stopped and began to think quietly to himself.

This boy... his soul really closes up when it feels the presence of a stranger. He was trying to make him unsure, but Shadi would not give up. He needed to know the power of the puzzle.

A sudden spark of the girl's energy came up and Shadi turned towards the familiar door. It was the same as the first one he had entered before the game had started.

This was the real one.

Somewhat cautious, he opened the door to spot Yami sitting in a golden throne-like chair. He nodded in greeting. "Yo."

A bit more sure he was correct, Shadi began to approach him. When a dark smirk appeared on Yami's face, Shadi realized this had been another trap. The floor below him began to collapse. He gripped onto the edge in an attempt to save himself from falling into the dark abyss.

"If I fall into this abyss, I'll forever remain a prisoner in this boy's soul." He looked up and spotted Yami staring down at him.

"What if I made you fall?" He asked, his voice deathly silent. Shadi glared up at him and Yami chuckled, kneeling down slightly and offering him a hand up. "Don't worry, this hand is not a trap."

"I never thought the other boy in your soul would save my life." Shadi began as he remained kneeling on the ground next to the dark crater in the floor. "I have a debt towards you."

"Its not polite to worm yourself into other people's souls and its worse to threaten harm to a person they need." Yami glared. "I advise you to get out now, before my mind changes about saving you."

"Does this mean I have lost the game?"

"No..." Yami turned to look at him, somewhat uneasy at his own answer. "This very well may only be the beginning."

Shadi didn't respond as he stood up and headed towards the door. He called a quiet goodbye over his shoulder before returning to reality.

Once returning to his own mind, he sat himself up on his knees. Yugi stood before him, arms held out to help him if he needed it.

"Are you alright?" Yugi asked after a second, "You fell asleep all of a sudden."

Shadi nodded and picked the puzzle up from the ground beside him. "I'm alright, but I have something that belongs to you." He held the puzzle out for Yugi to take, watching as his face lit up.

"Thank you!"

"There is no need to thank me." Shadi smiled, "I have debt towards you."

Yugi looked somewhat confused. "What do you mean? Kagome-chan was the one who gave you her handkerchief, if that's what you're referring to."

Shadi shook his head, "To your other self."

"Another self? What are you saying?"

Shadi was a bit shocked. He was not yet aware of the second personality inside him? When their two souls become one, then the true power of the puzzle will be revealed.

"What is your name, boy?"

Yugi glared at being called boy again. "I'm Yugi, not boy!"

"Yugi." Shadi stood and began to leave, "You must achieve a goal. You'll have to discover your other self hidden inside your soul." Before Yugi could say anything, Shadi turned around. "My name is Shadi. For the first time in my life, I have given my name to someone." He then turned and left, a chuckle falling from his lips at telling Yugi his name.

He would confirm the power of him, and he knew one sure way to.

Kagome. She was his very well concealed weakness, hidden away deep in his other soul.

She would provide him with what he desired.


	12. .Chapter Eleven.

.Chapter Eleven.  
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The next time Kagome saw him, she was going to

Kick.

Sesshoumaru's.

Fluffy.

Ass.

And she swore to it, because, not only had she been in search of some crow demon that had been released into the human world, but, now... now she was being toted half conscious over some man's shoulder. Her vision was fading in and out and the only thing she would make out was the white fabric her nose was pressed against.

Where was she being taken to, anyway? And why was her memory so fuzzy? Why couldn't she remember the encounter that had left her in this situation.

Kagome picked her head up barely and looked down, spotting her bow being held in the man's other hand. She frowned and tried to move her head back to see his face.

A wave of pain rushed through her head and she slipped from consciousness.

Yep, she was definitely going to kick Sesshoumaru's ass for getting her into this.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
A few days passed before the group saw Sango again. Thursday morning, they were greeted with the distressed looking brunette. Her hair was messily pulled over her shoulder and bags had began to form under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept for a couple of days.

Not seeing Kagome anywhere next to her only added to the eerie worry they felt.

They stood over to the side, swapping gazes between one another towards the girl tapping her foot as she sat shaken in her seat. None of them really knew whether or not if they should go address. Sango could be pretty unpredictable.

They chose to wait a few more minutes, to see if Kagome would show and shed some light as to why Sango looked like such a wreck.

After ten minutes had passed, they mutually agreed that the other girl was a no-show for the day and finally made their way over to Sango.

Anzu placed a careful had on her shoulder and gave her a worried look.

"Is something wrong, Sango-chan?"

They saw tears lining her eyes, but she blinked them away and nodded.

"Kagome-chan is missing."

"What!?"

Everyone let out a stunned cry.

"Since when?" Miho asked.

"Sunday night." Sango sniffled and began to explain. "After we left the museum with Sesshoumaru, he had us handle different things. He handled one, I handled one, and Kagome handled one. All three of us split up to take care of these things, but Kagome never came home afterwards. He and I spent all day Monday and Tuesday looking for her but we came up empty-handed, and yesterday we got the police department involved."

"Are you sure she just doesn't need time alone?" Honda asked, "A lot of people run off for a couple of days to take a breather."

"No!" Sango stood up slammed her hands down on her desk fiercely. "Kagome-chan wouldn't do that! She wouldn't worry me like this! Ever!"

They all took a few steps back at Sango's violent outburst. After a few seconds passed, Anzu gently placed her hands on Sango's shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Don't worry, Sango-chan." She whispered after a moment, feeling her return the hug gratefully. "They'll find her, and she'll be just fine."

Yugi nodded, backing Anzu up and trying to get Sango to stop her worrying. "Yeah, Kagome-chan can handle herself."

Still... even as he said that... why did he feel uneasy? Its like a part of him was overly, almost obsessively, worried. He didn't have the slightest doubt that Kagome was okay, in fact he was positive she would be fin, but why did something in him feel so uncomfortable at the news she was gone.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Huh... it seemed that the mere fact of her being missing wasn't enough to draw out the darker side of the boy...

Shadi furrowed his brows and turned to the girl laying out cold on the school's roof. A trace of remorse went through him as he took a step towards her.

Very well then, lets see how he would fare if she was turned against him.

Shadi used his Sennen Key to enter her mind. He stumbled upon a tightly sealed door, and he was somewhat baffled. The amount of control she held over her subconscious and spiritual self was truly amazing, something almost otherworldly.

Where had she learned to control something like this so... so... naturally? She had no issue strengthening her mental barriers against him, showing she would fight even unaware of what was happening. Someone had trained her to do this, no normal mortal could do this without a background of strict training.

But who?

And where were they?

Shadi let it slip from his thoughts as he turned to the blue door, using most of his energy to pick the lock and enter the room. Once stepping though the doorway, he took a couple of minutes to look around, somewhat mesmerized by what he saw.

A photo of a family. A middle aged woman, an older man, and a younger boy. The image was somewhat faded, showing the age and importance it held to her. No matter how faded it became, it wouldn't disappear because she wouldn't let it...

Beside the photo was the scenery of a shrine.

The girl was a priestess, perhaps? Maybe that was why she held such control over her powers.

Across from it, along the other wall, was what looked to be a forest and a large tree stretching up into endless depths. Photos were spread along the convincing imagery.

A small child with auburn hair and green eyes clutching tightly to Kagome, as a child would do to their mother.

A man with dark hair and violet eyes, dressed in purple and black robes with dark prayer beads adorning his wrist. This man was a priest.

A young woman, mirroring the appearance of the brunette, dressed in a multi-shade pink kimono and green skirt. She had two sides to her, for she was also dressed in a black catsuit with pink armor. She held a giant boomerang and a shielded blade strapped to her side.

This woman was a warrior.

An older woman garbed in red and white robes. She was blinded in one eye. Somehow this woman was connected spiritually with Kagome.

Another figure, a look-alike to the blue eyed girl. She, too, was garbed in red and white and she held a bow in her hand and a quiver of arrows strapped to her back. This woman... this woman was her past self.

How did she know what this woman looked like, enough to craft an image of her?

Another man who was dressed in brown furs and armor. He was tanned and had blue eyes and black hair. He had been a prideful leader, strong and fierce.

Finally Shadi's eyes landed on a photo of a silver haired man with gold eyes. He had canine ears adorning his head and he clutched Kagome tightly against him. Each of them had matching smiles of adoration towards one another... She had loved this man, and he in return.

Everywhere in the room there were scattered items and shapes.

A bow and a quiver of arrows. The girl had a love and passion for archery.

A cat and dog figurine, showing her love for animals.

A pink bauble was resting on a shrine. A pink glow burning brightly around it.

She despised this trinket. It had caused much pain, so in an attempt to get rid of it, she sealed it to where none could get it. But, she could also draw it back out of her body once needed...

She didn't care for ever using it, no matter the case.

A shaded out mirror was in a corner, showing her lack of self-confidence. She compared herself to another?

The third wall shown with the presence and photographs of her companions at her school, and a shroud of darkness encasing the photograph of Yami.

She was cautious of him, yet she felt strongly about him. Then he would be happy to know she felt the same as he did.

Once again, he felt a bit bad about destroying this girls personality.

She truly was a sweet being that held many things close to her heart.

But... this had to be done. In order to finish what had been started with the other side of Yugi, he had to use her.

"Dark Possession." Shadi commanded, and everything in the room disappeared in a cloud of dark. As he expected, she fought to keep control. This didn't bother Shadi, and he only doubled his energy until she had been fully put into a trance-like state.

He left her mind's room and glanced down to her.

Kagome's eyes slowly opened, the normal blue shade replaced with a faded orange color. She stood and headed towards the roof's exit.

"Get the other Yugi to show his face, my puppet." Shadi ordered.

There was no answer.

Just the slamming of the door as Kagome headed into the school.


	13. .Chapter Twelve.

.Chapter Twelve.  
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The dark haired girl moving silently down the halls was easily ignored by any and other people, even though she didn't wear the traditional uniform. She came to a halt by a window and glanced out, dull eyes landing on the male gym class.

Kagome looked over each person before her gaze settled on Yugi, and her eyes narrowed. She stood there for a while, ignoring the sound of the over head bell that signaled lunch.

Jonouchi's voice rose above the crowd and Kagome meshed herself into the mass of walking students. The first door that was open she came by, Kagome entered and slid the door shut. She stood still for a while until it quieted down before she opened the door and began to walk down the opposite way.

She reached the nurse's office and paused in her walking. She opened the door, successfully stunning the nurse as she did so.

"Kagome-san?" She asked, "What can I do for you?"

Kagome didn't answer and the nurse stood up and approached her. She felt her forehead to see if she had a fever.

She didn't feel warm so she went to get her thermometer. When she turned back around, she was whacked upside the head with a plastic tray.

The nurse hit the ground with a quiet thud, and Kagome quickly moved her out of the way, pulling her up to rest on a close by resting cot. After pulling a blanket up over her, Kagome turned back and slid the privacy curtain closed. She headed over to the desk and picked up the phone to place a call to the front office. A couple minutes later, a public announcement was heard overhead.

"Moto Yugi, please report to the Nurse's Office." The speaker sounded a bit scratchy as the woman on the other side repeated her order again. "Moto Yugi, you are required in the Nurse's Office."

Kagome set the plastic tray back on the metal cart as she went to stand behind the closed curtain. She stood quietly until she heard a knock, the door opening shortly after.

"Sensei?" Yugi's voice filled the silent room as he slid the door closed behind him. "You needed me for something?" Silence answered him and Yugi tipped his head to the side slightly. "Sensei?"

Had she left, and should he just wait here until she returned?

The ruffling of the curtain caught his attention, and his eyes widened when Kagome walked out from behind the white fabric. She wore a strange red dress sort of thing. A makeshift kimono? Dirt and small streaks of blood decorated her face, arms, and legs, and leaves littered her somewhat matted hair.

What happened to her?

"Kagome-chan?" He asked, quickly walking towards her, "Are you okay?"

Kagome took a couple of steps back until she nearly tripped over the metal cart. She gripped it in an attempt to steady herself as Yugi ran over to help her stand.

"Stay here, okay?" He said, "I'll go get the others. Sango-chan is really worried about you." He tried to turn and run to find their friends, but Kagome snatching him by his shoulders nearly caused him to trip.

An dark, inhuman growl came from Kagome's throat as she forcefully shoved him to the ground. She pounced on top of him and wrapped her cold hands around his neck. She applied pressure slowly, doubling it after seconds ticked by, giving Yami ample time to grab something and beat her off of him...

But...

He didn't.

Her dull orange eyes peered into shocked and fearful purple.

Anger filled her.

Why wouldn't Yami show himself so she could stop this? Why wouldn't he fight her?

Tears glazed her eyes, a few dripping onto Yugi's cheeks as she hovered over him.

The door was suddenly slid open and two people violently pulled her off of him. She snatched herself from their grip and turned to face Jonouchi as he helped Yugi up.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Kagome!?" He growled before noticing her somewhat damaged body. "And what the hell happened, who did this to you?"

Sango slowly approached the silent girl. "Kagome-chan? Where have you been?"

Kagome didn't answer her and soon everyone had closed in around her in hopes of her settling down enough to say something. She had been backed into a wall and Kagome instinctively grasped onto a wooden handled broom. She swung it carelessly, it hitting Sango and knocking her back a few paces.

After she had done that, everyone around her took a couple of cautious steps back, whereas Sango stood back up, ignoring the small trail of blood that streaked down her cheek from the crescent shaped gash. She grabbed a mop resting in a empty bucket and held out in front of her.

"Kagome-chan," Sango began calmly, "Put the broom down before you end up hurting someone you don't mean to. Its okay, we'll go to the doctor and get you fixed up."

Kagome lowered the broom with a bored glare, causing the people around her to move out of her way enough to make an exit for her. She pointed the handle of the broom towards Yugi, causing him to yelp slightly.

"Show me the true strength in order to settle out score."

After she spoke that, Kagome chucked the broom towards the group as forcefully as possible, it hitting Honda before it bounced to the floor, and she ran from the room before someone could grab her.

"Kagome-chan!" Anzu cried, about to run after her only to have Sango stop her.

"Don't." She advised, "We'll split up into groups of two to search for her. Yugi and Jonouchi, you two check the outside perimeter of the school. Miho and Honda, you two take the first floor. Anzu and I will take the second floor. We'll meet back at staircase in the back of the Science Lab hallway."

The stood stunned for a moment, before nodding in agreement. Each pair went to search their designated area, each coming up empty handed.

"Well, what do we do now?" Jonouchi asked, "She's nowhere to be found."

"And what was with that voice?" Miho asked, worried for the raven haired girl. She had looked to be in pretty bad shape. What if she got hurt before they could find her? "And her eyes look so weird."

"Its gotta be the curse." Jonouchi declared, his tone completely serious. "After everything that's happened, this is the only explanation. Why else would she be acting like this?"

"Would you lay off of that for just one second?" Anzu snapped at him, "There is no such thing as a Pharaoh's curse. There has to be another explanation. Kagome-chan has been missing for a couple of days, maybe she's just paranoid and needs help!"

"As much as I hate to resort to thinking it be something like this," Sango sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "I think Jonouchi might be right, if only the slightest."

She got several weird looks.

"Look at it," Sango explained, "Something is controlling her, and its strong enough to control her to hurt Yugi and myself. She would never do that if she had control of her own body."

"Wait..." Honda turned to look at Sango after her explanation. "If it has control of her, doesn't that mean it could also be in one of us, too?"

His question caused a long silence to envelop the group. They eyed one another for a while until Jonouchi broke the silence.

"Let's split up and look for Kagome again. She has to be around her somewhere." He nodded towards everyone, "Let's look one on one to get more ground covered in a shorter span of time. "

"Hey!" Honda shouted, "Don't you just run off so quickly!"  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
They all spread apart throughout the school in search of the missing girl.

Yugi headed down one hall, looking over his shoulder as he looked for any sign of Kagome. He took a spare glance down a different hall, his eyes widening when he caught sight of the girl clad in red walking slowly. He took down the hallway in an attempt to catch up with her.

He came to a one-way path, and that was leading up the staircase. There was no other place that Kagome could have went, so Yugi quickly rushed up the double flight of stairs and out onto the school roof. He took a glace around, to try and see where she had went, and a surge of fear rushed through his veins at seeing her standing still on a plank of wood, stretched far away from the roof.

How had she gotten out there so quickly? In order to get out there, she would've had to climb the fence blocking the edge of the roof off. He tried to approach her, but a familiar figure blocked his way.

"By making you angry I was hoping to summon the other you, but apparently it didn't work."

Yugi gave Shadi a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"It appears that, in order to summon the other you, I'll have to go about another way."

"What are you talking about?" The way Shadi was talking made him uneasy.

Shadi ignored his question and motioned his gaze towards Kagome. "Listen closely to me, Yugi. That girl over there is under my complete control. She will willingly obey any and all orders I give to her. Meaning if I tell her to walk off of the edge, she will comply obediently."

Kagome took a step closer towards the edge to the wood plank, a sign of Shadi's underlying meaning.

"Feel the anger, feel the hatred, feel the grief..." Shadi smirked, "When your emotions are in this state, the other side of you will show his face."

His words did the final trick, and Shadi's eyes widened when the Sennen Puzzle began to glow. The sky around them darkened noticeably.

The smirk made its way back onto Shadi's face. "At last, the other Yugi shows."

"Shadi..." Yami's tone spelled certain death to the man across from him. "How dare you use Kagome as a piece in your game."

"I had to take any path in order to settle the score with you." Shadi explained, "If you lose the game, you will also lose that girl."

If looks could kill, there wasn't a doubt in the world that Shadi would have dropped dead at that second.

"Before I set the rules of this game, there is something I want to say to you." Shadi commented, "It has to do with you acquiring the Sennen Puzzle." He didn't wait for Yami to say anything before he continued. "You acquired it years ago, but if you believe you stumbled upon it by accident, you are wrong. The puzzle has chosen you after waiting for three millennia, and we, too, were also chosen to wield the Sennen items' powers."

"That's what you're saying. Don't think of us as comrades." Yami glared, "I don't care to hear about any of this! Set the damn rules already!"

"Don't be afraid, Yugi."

"What?"

"Somewhere inside, you are afraid of the strength you possess." He continued on, "The unknown powers of the Sennen Puzzle... fearing that is the weakness of your soul. Look at the proof over there."

Yami glanced to the side quick enough to see one of the four statues shatter. One of the strings holding the plank of wood up fell, and the wood dipped down a bit at losing a piece of its support.

"Kagome!"

"Yugi, can't you recognize that the game has already began?" He nodded towards the three remaining sculptures. "They are the representation of your soul. When you see a weakness of your soul, another sculpture will shatter. If you lose the last three, you will also lose that girl to death. However, there is a way for you to win." Once he had Yami's attention once more, Shadi explained. "On the rope is the Sennen Key and connected to that is a representation copy of my own soul."

"I see," Yami nodded, "If I destroy your sculpture before I lose all of mine..."

"You are correct." Shadi nodded. "At that moment the Sennen Key will slide down the rope and touch the girl on her hand, freeing her from my control. Do you understand now?" Shadi asked. "The one who seen their weakness of their soul will be the loser of this game."

"So the point of this game is to show the enemy's weakness?" Yami asked.

He nodded. "Let us begin."

Silver wisps of wind kicked up around them and a rumble came from the ground. Yami looked down in curiosity, gasping as holes appeared and the ground began to fall out. Two yellow, glowing eyes peered up at him out of a large crater, and he took a step back.

His ability to move was taken away right after when two clawed, large, purple hands wrapped around his shoulders.

"This is the first challenge, Yugi." Shadi told him, "The only way you can escape from there is to make the illusion monster disappear. This is a shadow game."

A nine squared panel appeared on the ground in front of Yami.

"On that panel before you, there are two of the same images hidden."

"Wait..." Yami furrowed his brows. "If there are nine tablets, then that means one won't have a match."

"That's correct." Shadi nodded. "The objective of this game is to figure out what that matchless tablet is. But you will only be allowed to flip over each table once!" He warned him. "I'll give you a bit of advice to help you with this one. The panel is a mirror of the monster that holds you."

A mirror of the monster?

Yami glared as what Shadi said only cluttered his mind. What did he mean by that?

An unusual sound reached his ears, and he looked towards the fence.

Another one of his sculptures were getting close to breaking.

The plank of wood dipped down a bit further, and Yami panicked.

"Kagome!"

A few minutes passed, and the wood steadied out some, and he could breathe again.

He had to think this over carefully. Being in a panicked state only meant...

Kagome could...

Yami shook his head and glanced back at the tablet in front of him. Shadi had mentioned the tablet mirrored the monster behind him. A mirror... a mirror reflects their own image and if it reflects an image, that means there should be four pairs of the same thing represented on the panel.

This panel reflected the appearance of the monster, and the things the monster has two of and only one of...

"The monster had two eyes, ears, hands, and nostrils, but it only had one mouth!"

The panel flipped over and the monster behind him vanished. Yami had been right, and the panel immediately vanished the same as the monster did.

"Well done, Yugi." Shadi praised, "But the match has only begun. Allow me to show you to your next opponent."

A flurry of white and red wind whirled up behind him and Yami turned to face it. At seeing his face, he gasped.

"Jonouchi."

"That friend of yours is the image of the person that the other Yugi has buried deep in his mind." Shadi explained, "The friend that had once tormented you has been called forth before your eyes."

"What?" Yami tore his gaze away from the figure of his companion in order to look at Shadi. 'Jonouchi' walked towards him and snatched the puzzle from around his neck as the floor fell out, creating a makeshift game board.

"The objective of this game is to make the other fall off of the edge." Shadi explained the rules, "Each of you will take turns and roll the puzzle, and take a step in the direction that it points to. The winner will be the one to push the other off of the cliff first." He nodded towards the tri-colored hair boy, "Now, Yugi, let's see you defeat the jerk from your past."

Yami turned to face 'Jonouchi.' There wasn't a doubt that he was but a mere illusion brought forth by Shadi, but what if the real Jonouchi had been caught in his trap?

"Heh. This is what you like to play with?" 'Jonouchi' asked, "Hah! Aren't you a little old to be playing with puzzles, little Yugi?"

Two of his sculptures shattered into bits, the plank of wood dipping dangerously low. Yami looked towards the fence and cursed.

He only had one more up... if he lost that one, Kagome would...

She would...

Die.

"Eh, let's get the show on the road." 'Jonouchi' sighed in boredom and dropped the puzzle to the ground. He pointed for Yami to take a step towards the edge behind the smaller boy. "The direction is that way, take a step." After he had taken a step closer to the edge, he held the puzzle out for Yami. "Your roll."

"I won't roll it." Yami responded. "This game, I don't wish to fight you."

"Well, I'll take that as a pass, and it's my turn again." 'Jonouchi shrugged and rolled the puzzle again. "Its the same direction, so take another step towards the edge, Yugi."

He did so without a word.

"You're at the very edge now, Yugi. Don't tell me you're going to pass yet again."

"I pass." Yami commented.

"Are you forfeiting the game?" Shadi asked, "Are you admitting defeat, Yugi?"

"I'll pass." Yami repeated. "I believe in my friend, Shadi."

"You believe in him, you say?" Shadi questioned, "You couldn't the past. The weakness you have shown is the belief in another person. Know this, the strongest strength is to believe and trust only yourself." He turned back to the illusion of Jonouchi. "Now, roll the puzzle one last time. The game is over!"

'Jonouchi' did nothing.

"What is it?" Shadi asked, "Why haven't you rolled the puzzle, yet?"

A few seconds passed before the illusion of the blonde haired boy vanished and Shadi stood stunned. The illusion of the past had vanished?

"The friendship we have lasts, even at this moment." Yami picked up the dropped Sennen Puzzle. "Even the magic you used could not manipulate it. It was useless."

The last string supporting the girl on the plank of wood began to ware in the middle. It was starting to break, and it would snap at any second.

Once the ground had reappeared, Yami rushed over towards the edge to get her. He made it to the fence, and he heard a voice.

"Kagome, don't worry!" Jonouchi was holding up one end of the plank of wood as he balanced on the edge of a ledge on the school. "I'm here, and everything will be okay!"

It was impossible! These teenagers supported each other mutually.

Shadi's soul sculpture began to crack.

"You don't understand, do you Shadi?" Yami asked. "Where the true strength comes from? It comes from trusting your friends!"

The sculpture of Shadi's soul shattered into bits and pieces, and the Sennen Key down what remained of the brown rope and into Kagome's palm.

Kagome blinked as she looked around her.

Why was she still dressed in Inuyasha's firerat robe...? And... and why the hell was she high up in the air standing on a plank of wood?

A scream fell from her lips and she dropped to her knees.

"What the hell am I doing up here!?"

"Its fine!" Jonouchi called out to her, "Just crawl over to the building and you'll be okay!"

Kagome looked over her shoulder and noted he was on the railing of an unused classroom. She turned herself around and began to head back to the building before Jonouchi lost his grip.

"Hurry!" He shouted, "I can't hold support you from this end much longer!" A hand gripped his leg, and Jonouchi looked down to spot what he, Miho, Anzu, and Sango had been running from. The ghostly face of Honda was looking up at him as he tired knock the blonde boy down. "What's your problem, Honda!?"

Kagome had almost made it back to the roof before Jonouchi's grip on the bored disappeared when Honda grasped his face. She threw her arms our in an attempt to grab onto something.

"Kagome!"

A hand grabbed onto her own and Kagome looked up to spot Yami hanging halfway over the top of the fence. He pulled her up to safety while the Sennen Key brushed against Honda.

The other boy returned to his senses, and, at seeing where he was, clutched Jonouchi tightly.

"Someone help me!" He cried and nearly drug Jonouchi off of the railing trying to stable himself.

"Knock it off!" Jonouchi shouted, "You're gonna make us both fall if you keep this shit up!"

There was a knock at the window behind him, and Jonouchi and Honda turned to face it, spotting the three girls motioning for them to move. The did so, and the window slid open and the two safely crawled inside.

Kagome climbed the fence and fell to her knees, breathing a sigh of relief.

It looked like she got to live another day.

A gasp fell from her lips when arms wrapped tightly around her, her face being pulled into the crook of Yami's neck and her body was tugged roughly against his own. She felt him running his fingers through her matted and tangled hair.

A few seconds passed before he let her go.

She gazed into relieved eyes for a second before Yami slanted his mouth against her own, slipping his tongue between her lips when he was met with no resistance. She placed one hand against his cheek, and the other to his chest, while his hands rested against her hip and the other buried in her dark tresses. He tilted her head back more at an angle as the pair battled for dominance in Kagome's mouth.

Yami was victorious, and he eventually pulled away. Once more, the taste of lemon and honey stained his tongue. He brushed his nose against her's and his other hand moved grip her hip as well.

Kagome smiled and lightly traced his cheek and kissed him on his jaw. She stood back up, tugging Yami with her. She sent him a small, apologetic look. Yami frowned before he let her go, and Kagome placed her hand back to his forehead.

Once again, Yugi was brought forth right on time as the others raced onto the roof.

Before either one of them could say anything, Sango threw her arms around Kagome and held her tightly. It wasn't as tight as Yami had held her, but is was enough to cause her to wince.

"Let's go and get you bandaged up." Sango smiled and took Kagome's hand. "You guys coming?"

They all nodded and the group exited the roof.

Yugi furrowed his brow as he followed with the rest of his friends to take Kagome to the nurse to get her bandaged up.

Why the hell did he taste lemon and honey?


	14. .Chapter Thirteen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided not to do the virtual pet episode. That one really bored me. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't as exciting as others.
> 
> Instead, I'll drift the plot away from the series plot for a little bit.
> 
> You'll see what I mean. (:

.Chapter Thirteen.  
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It unsettled her- the eerie chill she got while walking down the street. Something was to happen, Kagome could tell that much, however what that was she had no clue. She tightened her grip on her school bag and glanced towards Sango. The brunette was just ahead of her, talking to Anzu and Yugi.

Perhaps if she excused herself she could handle it before something happened?

But what would she tell the others?

She turned her head upwards to look at Jonouchi, then doing the same to look at Honda trailing behind Miho like a love-sick puppy.

Those three wouldn't question it, at least not to her face, she knew that as a fact. However... Yugi, Anzu, and Sango would want to know what she was up to.

She sighed and bowed her head slightly. She didn't want to just ditch her friends with no explanation. The whole group had become a bit more worried than desired due to the last incident with her vanishing and reappearing in a bruised and beat up mess. As it was, she still couldn't tell Sango what had happened because she didn't even know that herself!

An arm landing across her shoulders made her jump and Kagome turned her glare up to Jonouchi.

"What?"

He shrugged. "You're awfully quiet today, aren't you?"

The worried tone intertwined with his usual gruff voice caused her to smile slightly. After a minute, Kagome shrugged and shook it off. "I guess, but I just don't have a lot to say."

"You're usually a chatterbox." He pulled her closer and further behind the group. He then silenced his voice to a whisper. "What's up, sunshine?"

"I'm fine, don't worry Blondie." Kagome smiled wider and rolled her eyes, "If something were to be wrong, for instance, you probably wouldn't be able to lend me a hand of assistance. I assure you of that."

Jonouchi huffed and shoved her away slightly. "Don't be so sure. If something is wrong, or if someone is troubling you, I'll take care of it."

Kagome laughed and picked up her pace to meet up with the others already waiting at the arcade's entrance. Jonouchi followed after her with a short yell.

She found it reassuring that he cared enough to try and help her, but it really wasn't needed. At least, not in this situation.  
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She eventually ended up sneaking away from the group once they had completely immersed themselves in the many different games. If they noticed she was gone, she could always come up with something. Surely that wouldn't be impossible.

Kagome headed down the street as she kept an eye on her surroundings. Where was she going anyway? She didn't know- she was only following the trail of energy strewn about.

What would happen if this proved to be more dangerous that expected? Kagome bit her lip and turned the corner, accidentally rushing into another person. Her teeth closed instantly, and blood filled her mouth. She spit to the side of her and brought her hand up to her mouth to rub.

"I must apologize," A soft voice reached her ears, "I'm afraid I wasn't paying any attention as to where I was going, Miss."

Kagome frowned and looked up, her eyes meeting the sight of a tanned hand outstretched for her to take. She smiled gratefully, ignoring the sting as her powers healed her injured lip, and stood up. "It isn't all your fault." She assured, "I wasn't paying any attention either."

"Then we're both at fault." The man laughed, Kagome chiming in after a moment.

They stood silent for a while, Kagome not meeting his gaze as she continued to glance around her. Without warning, she felt a burst of energy... the same energy she had felt in the park. It came from right before her.

She snapped her eyes up and took a cautious step backwards, bringing her own energy up in case he attacked.

Her actions were answered with a booming laugh as he reached towards her. "I am not an enemy, my dear miko." He looked down at her, peach eyes gazing at her in amusement. "My name is Aayoa. May I inquire your's?"

Kagome frowned and folded her arms across her chest. "I'm Kagome, not miko."

He smiled and reached to take one of her hands out of where Kagome had put them. He brought it to his lips and placed a chaste kiss to the back. "A beautiful name for an even more beautiful face."

"I'd appreciate it if you'd stop trying to sweet talk me." Kagome scowled. Sure, Aayoa was attractive, she'd have to be blind not to admit that. He had stunning peach shaded eyes and long electric blue hair, black undertones shining under the thick mass. The dark tresses reached almost to the back of his knees. He was tall, very close to six feet and he was lean. However, it didn't matter. It would really be for his best interests if he didn't flirt with her.

She was curious, though, as to what type of demon he was. So... with that in mind, it wouldn't hurt either of them if they were to talk, now would it? Yami's eyes flashed into her mind and she scowled before a small smile ghosted over her lips.

What the spirit didn't know wouldn't hurt him. Or Aayoa. Or her. Or anyone else.

"Well," Aayoa brought her out of her thoughts as he set an arm on her shoulder. "Surely we can talk, hm? Do you have a suitor that would appose that thought?"

Avidly and psychotically, but Kagome didn't say that.

"It should be fine." Kagome smiled and nodded towards him.

"Great!" Aayoa smiled and tugged her with him, "There is a small diner right down the street. Perhaps we can talk over tea?"

"That seems fine, Aayoa."

He took to leading her to the hole in the wall diner that was down the street. Kagome couldn't help but wonder how long it had been there after the pair had entered it. She walked down this street daily and she had never even noticed it until now.

Aayoa led her to a table booth and then sat on opposite sides. They sat in silence after they had ordered their tea, both waiting for the other to speak. Kagome sat staring into the teacup before her, avoiding Aayoa's gaze. He cleared his throat and Kagome snapped her eyes up to look at him. He smiled and nodded towards her.

"You have questions, please ask."

Kagome sighed and crossed her arms. "Fine. What type of demon are you? Are you hear to cause trouble? Are you harmless? Why are you trying to be nice to me? Why did you fuck with me in the park? What-!"

"One question at a time, dear." He commented as he sipped his tea. "As for my species, I am a kitsune demon."

"Kitsune?" Kagome repeated. He's the same species as Shippo?

"Yes, however my breed is half water kitsune and half shadow kitsune." He smiled when he saw the information sinking in. "I assure you that I mean no harm to anyone, and for the most part I am quite harmless to the human race."

"Why are you here?" Kagome asked, "And why are you talking to me?"

"I am here for the same reason other demons are."

"Territory?"

He nodded, "That's one thing."

"What's the other?" Kagome asked. She figured territory would be the only reason a demon existed in the human world with no intention of harming them.

"I am also in search for a mate, and you seem to be a nice candidate."

Kagome choked on her tea. "So when you messed with my head in the park, you were really-"

"Testing your strength?" He saw her nod, "Indeed I was, and I was very much pleased with the results."

"I'm sorry, but I have to decline your offer and I must ask you not to try."

"Why?" He asked, "Because you have another suitor?"

She supposed that was true, even if she hadn't accepted it completely. "Kinda, but also because I'm not interested."

"How can you kinda have a suitor? You either do or don't, dear." Aayoa smiled at her. "Have you not accepted it?"

Kagome frowned and narrowed her eyes. "No, I haven't."

"Then you do not have a suitor, and I am welcome to try."

"No you're not!" Kagome snapped, "If I don't accept it, then you're not a suitor either."

"But I can pine for your affections like this other male does, can I not?" Aayoa stood up and paid the bill for their tea. "And the better man wins."

"What part of 'I'm not interested' do you not understand?"

"I must say the not part," Aayoa sighed. "By your age, many women are in search of a bed partner, whether it be for a few night ruts or a permanent one. Men do the same."

Kagome growled and glared at him, "Well I'm different."

Aayoa smiled and nodded, "That you are, but it makes you all the more suitable to be my life mate."

Kagome stood stunned for a moment as Aayoa turned to leave.

"I'll be seeing you around, my dear." He called over his shoulder in a promise. "I'm also interested in seeing this other suitor you have."

After he had left, leaving Kagome standing in a shocked daze, the girl stood alone for a while. Soon enough, sense finally filled her again and she rushed towards the door in an attempt to catch him. Once heading outside, Kagome didn't catch sight of him and she stomped her foot to the ground.

"Asshole!" She shouted and kicked the brick building. "The next time I see you, you're gonna get it!"

He could mess with her all he wanted, but she knew how demons were when looking for a mate. So help her if he hurt Yugi, or any of her other friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Done for now. Aayoa is an OC of a friend of mine for YuYu Hakusho (If any of you reading as seen/read that series.) but I'm using him here.
> 
> ((If you're reading, thanks for lending him to me, bae.))


	15. .Chapter Fourteen.

Aayoa wasn't kidding when he said he was perusing her. Kagome's eye twitched yet again at feeling the caress of his energy. Subconsciously, her own energy rose up around her in defense.

Sango looked at Kagome with a confused glance.

"What's up with you?" She asked, quirking her eyebrow in confusion. "You're acting all weird and stuff. Is everything okay?"

Kagome turned her head towards Sango and shrugged, picking at the tray of treats spread out in front of her. She sipped her tea quietly and nodded. "I'm fine, just a bit antsy I guess."

"Antsy?" Sango frowned. "Why?"

Kagome shrugged with a sigh. "Just am." She nibbled at a round cookie a bit before placing it back down on a napkin. "What are we even doing here?"

Sango huffed and folded her arms across her chest. "To spend time together. You've been acting weird lately and I'm really starting to worry. What's going on?"

Kagome bit her lip and looked down at her lap in annoyance. "Aside for the fact that I can't explain why I feel Naraku's aura almost everywhere I go, and the fact that I have to keep my guard up even more that I would even hope to, I'm just fine."

Sango glared at the raven haired girl. "You're worried, I understand that because I am too, but you really need to relax. Stressing isn't good for you. Maybe you need to get yourself a boyfriend, or someone like that to talk to and take your mind off of everything." Sango offered, "I mean, you seem to be getting along better with Jonouchi, so maybe you can hang out with him for a couple of days."

Kagome sent Sango a pointed look. "I'm not stressing! If anything, I'm just getting a little worked up, but can you really blame me?" Kagome growled, "After everything we went through, don't you think that the fact Naraku could still be alive is a little bothersome? That horrendous animal needs to die already before he destroys this life."

"I know that." Sango whispered and leaned across the table to keep their conversation private, "But if we don't know the actual source then we can't do anything. All we can do right now is just stay on our feet and be prepared for what we can do. Getting worked up over this won't help. You're even starting to worry Yugi and the others with how you're acting!"

"Sorry I can't be all fun loving when we could die any second!" Kagome snapped and stood up automatically.

"Why are you getting all mad at me?" Sango growled, "What have I done?"

"You haven't done anything, and I'm not mad at you!" She sighed and collected her bag, "Its just... I want to be alone, okay?"

"But-"

"Can you at least do that for me?" Kagome asked as she headed towards the door. "Can you give me a couple hours to myself? At least for today?"

"Kagome-chan, I..." Sango bit her lip before sighing under her breath. "Are you going to school?" It started in an hour.

Kagome shook her head, "Nah... I'll skip today."

As she watched the smaller girl leave, Sango nervously called out, "It'll be okay. Do you know why?" Sango asked, watching as Kagome came to a brief halt in her walking. Sango continued then, using the chance to speak once again. "We have each other, and everyone else. We're not alone. Even if you think we are."

Kagome showed no signs of hearing what Sango had said and merely let the door to the shop close behind her.

She was thirty minutes into her walk before she felt a hand gently come to rest on her shoulder. She inwardly groaned when she was pulled against a firm chest.

"Hello, my sweet." A familiar voice purred softly in her ear, "You seem rather upset. Must I take care of someone for you?"

"What?" Kagome yelped, "I don't need you 'taking care' of anyone for me."

"Then what must I do to see your shining smile?" Aayoa asked quietly, halting her in her walk by stepping before her. He leaned close to her and placed his lips to her nose. "Must I kiss you like this?"

Kagome's face leaked red as she abruptly shoved him away. "Do that again and I will shove my foot up your ass."

Aayoa pouted and approached her again, "I am only trying to show you my affections. What's so wrong with that?"

Kagome clenched her fists together. "Because I am in no mood for you to be showing me your affections, no matter what the case may be. I want to be alone, and I'd rather you honor that."

"Alone?" He frowned, "But I could make you happier if I was with you."

"But I don't want anyone to be with me!"

"Why not?"

Kagome scowled before biting her lip. "I don't have time for this." She turned around and began heading for the opposite direction. "I originally wasn't planning on going to school, but obviously that is the only way I'll be left alone for a while."

"Oh, my dear, wouldn't it be much more crowded at school opposed to spending your day with me?"

Kagome's eye twitched at his reasoning. Technically, he was right, but at school she would be faced with less touchy pestering... Well, that was to assume Yami stayed in his puzzle. After a minute, Kagome sighed heavily before nodding slowly. "Fine, if I spend a few hours with you, will you leave me along later?"

Aayoa smiled before shrugging playfully, "I'm not sure, I'll have to get back to you on that one. I might not feel satisfied with just a few hours while this other suitor of your captures much more time that is belonging to you."

"I'll tell you one more time," Kagome growled and crossed her arms over her chest, "There is no other suitor! Just a friend that cares deeply! Get that through your thick head!"

"Then why must you oppose me so harshly?" Aayoa asked quietly, "If there is no other male, what challenge do I face to gain your affections?"

Small hands clenched into tight fists as Kagome stood trembling. "There isn't none, because I don't feel that way! Understand that, Aayoa, I don't want a relationship- not now, not ever!" Tears blurred her eyes as she thoughts began to mull over a familiar long gone hanyou. She couldn't... She just couldn't. Not today, not on the day that marked the anniversary of his death. She couldn't do that to Inuyasha, not when her heart still belonged to him.

Aayoa, noticing the change in her by scent, reached out to grasp her. His hand was pulled back when Kagome stepped away.

"I'm sorry, Aayoa." Kagome whispered after a moment, "But any day other than this day, I could deal with you. I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave before I do something I greatly regret."

He nodded slowly, "If you must mourn, please do." While he didn't know what had upset her, he knew enough to understand that it had wounded her deeply. Perhaps this was why she opposed affections. Another male, one she had cared deeply for, had left her behind. Still wounded, she refuses to allow another into her heart, no matter how hard they might try. Curious, he glanced back towards her. "What was he to you?" Aayoa specified, "The one who hurt you so badly?"

Kagome's eyes snapped to him, brightened blue flooding with several different emotions at the bold question. Everything ranging from anger, to guilt, and to agony became present in her watery pools. Tears had long since began to leak, leaving clear and salty streaks down the plumpness of her cheeks. She had collected her bearings enough to speak, turning on her heel and bowing her head. "I mourn for many people," Kagome admitted, "But the one you wish to know about is my deceased suitor. He had my heart then, and he does now. I'm afraid that won't ever change so, to save yourself the trouble, I encourage you to stop chasing after me. You will gain nothing from it."

Aayoa watched as she walked away from him, her head tilted at a defensive angle. He thought her words over carefully before putting them off. Someone dead could not offer more than a living being. He wouldn't give up, no, just the opposite.

He would get her to move on, and straight into his arms.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Kagome sighed and sank down in a vacant seat, absently watching kids playing the video games littering the arcade. During school days, this place was always practically filled with kids playing hooky, but what did it matter? She sank down further into her seat, feeling a bit more at peace in an area where no one would pay a lick of attention to her.

Sure, the many sounds of the arcade irritated her a lot, but it was a lot better than people yapping in her ears.

As she sat there, Kagome could feel the gaze of someone. Perhaps if it had been any other day, she would demand to know why someone was watching her, but she shrugged it off. It didn't come off as malicious, from what she could tell.

When someone suddenly sank down in the beside her, Kagome jumped and looked towards her side. She blinked a couple times at seeing a kid staring back at her. Her eyes met a light blue, almost the color of the sky, and she cocked an eyebrow.

"What do you want, kid?"

He shrugged, "You were sitting here all alone." His hands went up to pat at his long, deep green hair before extending a hand to her. "Name's Mokuba Kaiba."

Kagome's eyes widened at that, and she began to wonder about Seto once again. It had been an awfully long time since he had been to school. She reached to take his hand, a small smile lifting her lips, as she nodded. "I'm Kagome Taisho, but call me Kagome, Mokuba-kun."

He smiled and nodded, "Got'cha!"

Kagome giggled, a little amazed someone like Seto could have an adorable little brother. She thought it over, realizing she was only be biased. Mokuba was the age close to what her brother would have been, so she supposed her affection for him was being directed towards Mokuba. At the thought of Souta, her heart lurched a bit and she could feel tears prick her eyes.

At the feel of a finger prodding her kneecap, Kagome jumped and looked at Mokuba. "Did you want something?" Kagome asked finally.

Mokuba shrugged as he continued to look this girl over, remembering her name purely by mention of her as Seto spoke. She was rather interesting. He motioned over his shoulder towards one of the many games. "I wanted to see if you wanted to play. I'll go easy on you."

Kagome actually laughed at that, his personality reminding her so much of Souta's. She nodded after a second. "I don't see why not, I've got nothing better to do." She stood up and looked at him, "And which game? You might have to go easy on me."

Mokuba took her by her hand and led her off to a far off racing game.

Kagome sighed.

It was still better than school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for not being online for the longest time, but I got half way through typing this chapter up only for my computer to crash. I just finished it literally moments ago, after finally getting my computer fixed- about three or four days ago.
> 
> I do plan to update more frequently now.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I hope you enjoyed!


	16. .Chapter Fifteen.

Perhaps not showing up to class yesterday was a bad idea, Kagome mused silently to herself as the others, minus Sango, crowded around her. Well, almost all the others. Kagome ran her eyes over each of their forms before realizing Jonouchi wasn't there. It made her curious. Kagome turned and looked around the room.

"Say," She commented and placed her finger to her chin, "Where is Jonouchi?" It was rare for him not to be here, since it appeared that his health was one of his best traits. Honda's words, not her's.

"I suppose something happened." Anzu suggested a reasonable answer while walking towards Kagome once more. Together the two glanced at his vacant desk. "Huh..." Anzu shrugged, "Up until now, I never realized just how quiet it gets without him. I kinda miss him."

"Did he seem okay yesterday?"

The group nodded in unison before Honda went on, "Although he said something about confronting that gang that uses yo-yo's to gang up on people."

Once again, finding herself captivated by so much curiosity, Kagome looked towards him with wide eyes. "Did you just say a gang that uses yo-yo's?" When he nodded, a fit of giggles over took her. "'Oh god, that has to be the least frightening thing I have ever heard. Like, I'm serious, you have no idea."

"Now that I think about it, it is pretty amusing..." Anzu trailed off with a dull grin.

"This is no joking matter!" Honda rushed towards them, "Something bad had to of happened to Jonouchi to make him miss a day! His health is literally his only good point in his personality!"

Kagome winced at his booming voice, "Alright, alright I get it! Perhaps Jonouchi picked a fight he couldn't finish." She snorted and crossed her arms, "I mean, you all had to be expecting it to happen sooner or later, right? His big mouth can get him in trouble from any side."

"Still," Yugi cut into Kagome and Honda's conversation, "Jonouchi's our friend. We should check up on him after school."

Kagome glanced towards Yugi before she sighed and nodded slowly. "I suppose you're right. That pain in my ass has grown to be a thorn in my side, and I can't help but worry sometimes." She threw her arm around Yugi's, smiling in brief merriment when his cheeks dusted pink. "I'm with Yugi-kun! I say we check up on him later."  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The had made true on their decision, following behind Honda as he led them to Jonouchi's house. However, it was a fruitless attempt when they were chased away by threatening shouts from an angry man. A man Honda explained was Jonouchi's father.

At least it finally made sense- the way Jonouchi acted. His father was a no good drunk, so Jonouchi put up some hard-ass personality so people would be less likely to fuck with him, so to say. It was saddening, to say the least, but it gave her more of a reason to stick with Jonouchi. His hard attitude was occasionally foul, yes, but he was a good guy, deep down.

However they had searched every place the blond would have been and came up empty handed each spot. As of right now, Kagome was just about ready to call it a day and hope he showed up tomorrow.

But... what if he didn't? What then? Kagome looked around the group she stood in, watching as the others continued to scan the surrounding area for the missing male. She could read the worry and anxiousness like a children's book. Kagome inwardly sighed and looked towards her feet. This was damn near impossible. She couldn't even get a good feel of his aura. If she could, Jonouchi would be easier to find than a bed in a room. But apparently that was a no-go.

A gentle trace of Yami's energy brought her out of her worried thoughts, the dark wrapping around her in light creases. She was surprised by how much she had missed it, it having been a long time since she had seen him, let alone felt his energy. It comforted her greatly and she allowed her own to mingle loosely around his. The pleased thrum his gave of in response made her smile. It would seem that the long absence had bothered him as well.

It was definitely hard to hate him, especially when he had such a clingy attitude towards her. The more she felt him, the more she got used to him. It wasn't that bad, honestly. Kagome glanced at Yugi from the corner of her eye, watching the way his features changed with worry for his friend.

Yugi and Yami were different, very different from one another. It seemed, to her, that the longer the two remained combined, the more Yugi grew aware of his other side's presence. The way he would stare so intently at the puzzle was more than enough to go by. She began to wonder what would happen once he became completely aware of Yami, and even had the opportunity to exchange a few words.

It didn't seem all too likely, since Yami only showed when there was danger to Yugi or someone he cared for. Still, it was an interesting scenario to think upon.

Kagome was yanked out of her thinking at a sudden spark of a familiar aura. She came to an automatic halt, Yugi following right after.

"What is it, Kagome-chan?" He asked before a loud voice carried over to them. He caught the name of the friend they were searching for, and he ran towards the voice instantly.

Kagome took off after him, trying to snatch him by his wrist, "Wait, Yugi-kun!" She ignored the irritating flare of Aayoa's prying energy and continued to chase Yugi until she nearly toppled over him. Kagome growled at his automatic halt before her face went blank.

Standing before them was a gang bearing down on some guy, and in the inner flanks was Jonouchi.

Kagome had always had this nasty habit of thinking with her heart way too often, and abandoning her head. She walked towards the tall group confidently and snatched Jonouchi by his wrist, whirling him around to face her. She saw his dark eyes widen and she scowled.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kagome snapped at him, "You had us all worried!"

Someone to his right snorted with amusement. "Who's the bitch, Jonouchi? Your girl?"

Kagome spun towards him, narrowing her eyes, as she swung her fist. It made a successful hit, the sound of skin smashing into skin echoing around them, and sent the man in the purple hat back a few steps. "Excuse me?"

She dodged when he swung back, intent on knocking her to the ground, and kicked her leg out. She took his out from under him and dropped him to the dirt below her. "You wanna try that again, you failed Joker-wannabe?" Kagome hissed lowly, "I'll emasculate you right here if I have to."

That was the sight that greeted the others when they finally caught up with Yugi and Kagome.

To say the least, it was worth a few dropped jaws.


	17. .Chapter Sixteen.

A low growl fell from tightly stretched lips as she continued to stare down the group surrounding her. The one on the ground had given up trying to knock her down, wallowing in his own shame at being taken down in under three seconds. Her eyes flicked back to Jonouchi, feeling the shocked looks she received from her friends in the back.

"Well?" Kagome snapped at him, "Are you gonna tell me or am I going to have to kick your ass back to reality?"

"Jonouchi?" Sango took a few steps forward, "Why would you worry us like this? If you thought it'd be funny, please, I implore, gain a better sense of humor."

All the blond did was divert his gaze, making Kagome even more angry. She snatched him by his collar, even though she was much shorter, and tugged him back facing her with surprising strength.

"Fucking hell, Jonouchi!" She hissed in boiling rage, "Answer me before I stop playing nice!"

He snatched himself from her arms, shoving her back a few paces with a rough swing of his arm. Kagome didn't back down, instead she tried again, but she was struck down by the male previously subdued on the ground. Kagome's back collided roughly with the brick wall behind her and a thin trail of red began to leak down her chin. The shouts of protest behind her, and the hands of Sango and Anzu helping her back up, brought her back to her senses. She turned her widened blue eyes towards Jonouchi, the dark pools pleading with him.

Jonouchi-kun," Yugi raced up to him, "Why are you hanging with them, even after they hurt Kagome-chan?"

"You mean us?" The one in the green hat commented before turning to Jonouchi, "You know them?"

He tore his eyes away from Kagome's before looking at Yugi. Jonouchi then turned his back to them all. "Not really, no."

"Hn," One with a blue ponytail commented as he walked up to Jonouchi. "Ever since you started going to Domino, you've been hanging out with them. You should have come to school with us instead."

"Jonouchi-kun!" Yugi tried once more to get the blond's attention, "Come back with us. We're you're friends, not them. You should be angry at them for hitting Kagome-chan!"

"Tch, I've had enough with listening to you, damn brat!" The one that had struck Kagome growled before stalking forward towards Yugi. He threw his fist out, hitting Yugi right in his jaw and sending him backwards to the ground.

"Yugi-kun!" The group surrounded him instantly, Sango and Anzu helping him sit up. Miho, standing beside Honda, covered her eyes as she began to shake. Kagome stood up after making sure Yugi was okay and turned towards Jonouchi, standing alongside the smirking others.

"Jonouchi!" Anzu snapped at him, clenching her fists tight, "You're scum!"

"You really are." Kagome commented after Anzu had let that slip, "I actually thought I could count on you, Jonouchi, but I guess I can't. But, at the same time, what was I really expecting?" She continued, "I was stupid to give you a chance when I had already seen your true character. Up until now, I was more than prepared to stick by your side, but now I know it doesn't matter because things as foul as you and those you are with aren't worth it."

She heard his group of friends snort with laughter as they led Jonouchi away.

The entire group had settled in a park to sit and talk. Anzu held out a wet rag to Yugi's cheek, commanding him to hold it there. Meanwhile, Honda went on explaining who that group had been. As Yugi kept defending Jonouchi, Kagome stood up from where she previously sat next to him.

"You want to know what happened?" Kagome snapped at him, "Jonouchi chose who his friends were. If it really mattered to him, no one could force him." When she felt Yami's energy curl around her again, trying to get her to calm down, Kagome snapped it away in anger. "But we were all fools to assume someone such as him could change in such a matter and forget his old ways."

"Kagome-chan..." Yugi looked at her with wide eyes, not used to seeing her so boiled up about something.

"It doesn't matter to me if you all want to go on and be naive to the reality, but I'm not doing it." Kagome closed her eyes, "Jonouchi was never our friend. Suck it up and deal with it!"

Everyone, even Sango, was looking at Kagome in shock at her outburst.

"Now, I'm going home to try and stop the bleeding of my lip. Good bye."

After she had gone, leaving behind the others to sit and understand the words she had fed them. A moment into the silence, Sango spoke up.

"She didn't mean all of that," She assured them, "It's just... She's hurt."

"Hurt?" Miho asked, "You mean from where she was hit?"

Sango shook her head, "Not exactly, no. You see, Kagome has a hard time trusting others, from a long history of people entering her life with promises of never leaving, only to end up alone in the end. She might not admit it, but she trusted Jonouchi, and to have him so severely break said trust is like a knife through her heart. They had been growing close, close enough for Kagome to actually rely on him, and in under two minutes he smashed all of that into uncountable shards."

"Kagome is a really fragile person, isn't she?" Anzu asked quietly, looking at her feet when Sango nodded her head slowly. "I never realized..."

"Not many do, Kagome has a really good poker face." Sango sighed, "I suppose the main issue is that she refuses to fully let people into her heart. A person can only be broken so many times before it is impossible to get the pieces picked back up."

Yugi let what Sango had said sink in, remembering back to the day the two had started school. It seemed that her personality was finally being explained in detail, even though it was minimal. How quiet she had been, and how withdrawn she was. Kagome had been hurt many times before and was afraid of letting it happen again, so she didn't let people enter her heart.

But... She had grown attached to them all, and she began to become more warm and lively, a sight that was much better. He believe that much happier side was the part of Kagome that needed to grow stronger, and not the one that felt all the pain she wanted to hide away.

With his mind made up, Yugi glanced down at the puzzle with a smile.

He couldn't just give up on her, and he couldn't give up on Jonouchi either.


	18. .Chapter Seventeen.

It was deceitful.

It was unbelievable.

It was unreal.

It was... It was painful.

Kagome tightened her fists as she made her way down the street. Blue pools stayed glued to to the gray concrete passing under her feet. She would occasionally kick a stray pebble, as hard as she could, just for the sole purpose of releasing bits of her anger.

She felt as if she was about to boil over in a fit of rage.

Who the hell did they think they are!?

It was more than obvious that that group of blockhead, yo yo wielding nutcases had forcefully cohered Jonouchi into joining them. At least... it seemed that way to her.

What else could make him turn his back on all of them? Didn't he care?

Kagome tightened her fist as another wave of anger began to flood her heart. Instincts took over ans she whirled around to face the wall of the alleyway she was walking down, and she smashed the tense ball against the bricks. She cringed a bit at the hit, the force she had packed into the punch had almost shattered the bones in her hand. Red began to trail down her fingers and the sides of her hands, dripping quietly to the ground, as she stood. Onyx bangs shrouded her eyes and she squeezed her eyes shut when the stinging pain caused tears to flood them.

No...

She wouldn't cry.

Not over the likes of Jonouchi's garbage group of friends.

She just wouldn't. She refused.

Deep breaths. That was what she needed- to breathe slow and deep. She couldn't let herself get so worked up. That wasn't tactful. It wasn't wise to get so agitated, now was it?

Kagome lowered her hand back to her side and unclenched both of them. For the next few seconds, practically a minute, she stood there trying to regain control of her thoughts and emotions.

Calm down, she needed to calm herself down.

Yes, she was angry. And, yes, she wanted to get into a good fight, but she couldn't allow herself to do so. Especially over something so trivial as a gang of high school delinquents. As if they mattered to her.

It wasn't much later that she took notice of the sound of footsteps drawing closer and close to her. The several different tones, given off by different weights and sizes at different intervals, proved that there was more than person approaching her. She also observed that the footsteps were coming from different directions.

It was almost as if they were trying to be stealthy in their approach. As if they were trying to sneak up on her.

This meant they were no friend of her.

Then she would be no friend to them, either.

A hand snatched hold of her shoulder, and Kagome took her chance. She spun around on the balls of her feet and threw a right hook right into the offender's jaw.

A cool smirk worked its way onto her face when the man in the green hat stumbled back onto his rear.

Man, did that feel amazing.

Heavier footsteps caught her attention next, and Kagome quickly braced herself for an assault from behind. The back of her shirt was gripped, the fabric tearing a bit, as the taller man tried to subdue her.

Kagome growled. Surely he didn't assume she would give up so easily, did he? She slammed her elbow into his stomach as hard as she could before spinning to face him. She swung her leg out, taking his own out from under him, and dropped him to the dirt at her feet.

"Who else wants to fucking try?" Kagome snapped at the group of trash surrounding her. "Come on! Do it. I dare you, you sacks of wasted space and oxygen!"

It was enough to get another brave soul to race towards her. Kagome snorted and swung herself backwards, performing a back flip in order to dodge the fist aimed for her face. She landed on her feet and dropped to the ground as he rushed towards her. Kagome pushed herself between his legs before standing back up, and kicking him in the center of his back.

She didn't have time to react, or even take notice, of the group of three rushing her from behind.

Two took hold of her arms, tying her wrists together, while the third began to lead her away.

"Attacking from behind?" Kagome growled at them as they led her to a place she didn't know, "Wow, you all sure are a load of cowards, aren't you?"

"Shut up, bitch."

Her eyes snapped to the one in the green hat. "Make me, you insignificant fuck-up."

"Tch." He snatched her by her chin, forcing her head to tilt back so the would look him directly in the eyes. "They why don't we put that pretty little mouth to good use, then?"

"Oh, yeah? How about you go get your dick stuck in a toaster?" She snapped back.

When they finally arrived to the intended destination, Kagome was strung up by her wrists on a metal hook. She was lifted from the ground so her legs dangled freely.

"Don't worry, girly, you'll have a fun time here."

"I'd sooner pleasure myself with the blade of a knife than do anything with the likes of you freaks." Even though she was suspended in the air, she didn't let her unease show.

Her final statement made the group silence themselves for a good while. It wasn't much longer before the door opened again, this time a familiar face being forced to enter.

"Yugi-kun!" Kagome gasped and began to try and get down from where she was suspended in air. "What are you doing here?"

Yugi's eyes snapped to where Kagome was held. His eyes widened at seeing the state she was in. They couldn't do this to her... They had no right to. Before he could say anything, he was also taken and strung up on the hook right next to her.

When one of the other men came close to her, Kagome swung her leg out and nailed him in his stomach.

"Take that, you jackass!"

They refused to approach her, least they be kicked by the angry girl.

"Kagome-chan, are you okay?"

She looked over her shoulder and towards Yugi. She nodded and sighed.

"Aside from the fact that I know why these creeps drug me here, everything is a-okay." A uncontrolled shiver racked through her body at that thought.

Yugi got the underlying message that she meant, and it made him feel sick. The thought of it made him beyond angry, too.

The door opening for another time caught both of their attention, as a familiar blond entered the warehouse.

Kagome narrowed her eyes and her posture tensed.

She listened to their exchange of words intently, relieve filling her when it showed Jonouchi had been blackmailed into joining them.

He brushed off their attacks with their yo yos as if they were nothing, and once getting out of the assault, Hirotani attacked with his own altered yo yo. Jonouchi deflected it with his own, and sent the spiked yo yo flying. It sailed towards the pair tied up, slicing the ropes that held them restrained, and they fell into a pile on the ground.

Kagome landed sprawled out on Yugi's lap. At feeling Yami's aura come out entirely, she moved back and out of his lap as he got up.

From where she sat on the ground, Kagome noticed Yami a ways up. He had used the hook as a way to get to higher ground? The rest of the gang chased after him, following up up to the second story, and eventually out onto the roof.

Kagome got back onto her feet and did the same.

It would seem as if the game was on, and she didn't want to miss it.

She stayed close to the shattered windows, and far from where he was leading the groups in circles. She was beyond puzzled as to his tactic up until he paused at the corner of the roof, leaving the group stranded in a middle of holes created by the yo yo in his hand.

He didn't... There was no way...

When the group fell through the roof, Kagome stood stunned.

He had.

"Yo yos are meant to be aimed at the ground." Yami scolded the group that had fallen through the crumpling rooftop. "Not at people, understand?"

Kagome snorted in amusement, but fell silent when Yami began to approach her. She diverted her gaze to her feet, as she counted the lines on the roof. Her face colored to a light red when he traced her cheeks with his fingers.

She didn't know how he had managed to do it, honestly she had no clue, but he had just made yo yos...

Sexy.

Kagome quickly followed him back inside to where Jonouchi, and surprisingly Honda, were waiting.

Mending things with the blond boy could wait. She wanted nothing more than to to get out of this fucking warehouse.


End file.
